While the vast majority of European Parliament members voted to restrict the use of lead in hunting in a bid to protect wildlife and wetlands, Maltese MEPs chose lead over human life, ADPD said in a statement.

Maltese Nationalist and Labour MEPs joined forces with the far-right and voted in favour of lead and against the common interest of the Maltese,” ADPD said.

It added that fortunately, other MEPs they did not give in to self-serving lobbies and heeded science.

The vote was on a European Commission proposal to restrict lead in gunshot in the proximity of wetlands.

“Roberta Metsola, Alfred Sant, Cyrus Engerer, David Casa, Alex Agius Saliba and Josianne Cutajar showed their true colours, defending the few against what's right for our countryside and open spaces,” it said.

ADPD chairman Carmel Cacopardo said that while some of these Maltese MEPs try to project themselves as environmentalists, they could not care less about scientific evidence and the real interests of the Maltese. 

“They are so beholden to arrogant lobbies that they did not mind joining forces with the extreme nationalist right to vote against proposals which protect our natural environment,” he said.

Cacopardo added that it is a well-established fact that lead has deleterious and serious effects on human health and wildlife and poisoned the environment.

“Today Maltese MEPs chose lead over us. Fortunately, the European Parliament did not follow the example of Maltese Nationalist and Labour MEPs,” he said.