BirdLife Malta asks the Prime Minister to maintain bird conservation and protection under the minister of environment.
BirdLife Malta sent a letter to PM Robert Abela this morning congratulating him on his electoral success and wishing him well for the next five years as Prime Minister.
BirdLife Malta stressed the importance to not split the conservation or protection of biodiversity.
“Malta’s Environment Act gathers all this under its remit including the Conservation of Wild Birds and consequently also the Wild Birds Regulations Unit. As expressed by BirdLife Malta in the past, we urged the Prime Minister to place these remits under the Ministry for the Environment, also as requested by the same Environment Act,” CEO Mark Sultana said.
“BirdLife Malta hopes this request will be seriously considered as being both reasonable and legal and stated that it looks forward to continue collaborating with the Malta government and, in particular, with the Ministry for the Environment.”
As stipulated by Malta’s environment laws, it is only the environment minister who is concerned with the conservation of wild birds’ regulations, including hunting and trapping.
Robert Abela however, placed the Wild Birds Regulation Unit, (WBRU), under the Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri in 2020. Camilleri is also a hunter.
BirdLife Malta not only described this decision as “diabolical” but also shown how it is illegal within the present legislation, leading them to file a court case, that so far has been unsuccessful.
The Wild Birds Regulation Unit is responsible for coordinating the regulatory functions necessary to implement the Conservation of Wild Birds Regulations. It also oversees and drives government policy regarding sustainable hunting governance and wild bird conservation.
