No record exists of a deal with the hunters’ federation (FKNK) on Miżieb and l-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa, the Office of the Prime Minister told independent candidate Arnold Cassola.

Prime Minister Robert Abela recently floated a proposal to formally hand over one or two woodlands to hunters during a recent Cabinet meeting.  

The proposal is meant to formalise long-standing claims the hunting lobby FKNK has over the areas. 

The FKNK maintains that Miżieb is a hunting reserve, citing a 1986 letter sent by then Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici who, in the run-up to the general election, had handed the area over to hunters for use as a hunting area.

But conservationists insist hunters have no rights over the land, which is also used by families, cyclists and ramblers and say it would be a mistake to pass the land on to hunters.

Cassola submitted a Freedom of Information request for a copy of any agreement, concession, lease, emphyteusis or title of ownership, encroachment, possession or mere tolerance management and/or services and/or consultancy agreement entered into between the Prime Minister and the federation.

In its reply, the OPM said the request could not be met because it was not in possession of the requested documents.