Court provisionally accepts BirdLife Malta request for injunction on spring hunting for Turtle-dove

April 13, 2022 11:06 am

Hunting season on Vulnerable European Turtle-dove cannot open on Sunday

BirdLife Malta is very satisfied to receive the Court notification announcing that it has provisionally accepted a Warrant for Prohibitory Injunction filed earlier this week to stop the spring hunting season on the Vulnerable European Turtle-dove, while setting the date to hear the case and decide on the request on Tuesday 19th April at 9am. This automatically means that the spring hunting season for the Turtle-dove will not open this coming Sunday 17th April.

European Turtle-dove (Photo by Aron Tanti)

BirdLife Malta President Darryl Grima stated: “We are satisfied that the local Law Courts have understood the urgency on this matter and that they have the responsibility and the power to safeguard the European Directives in our country. Our Law Courts are also European Law Courts with full powers provided to them by the European Union’s Directives themselves. As a Member State we need to abide by EU regulations and directives and the local Law Courts are a way for any citizen and civil society to seek remedy for breaches of the European Directives, including the EU Birds Directive.”

BirdLife Malta will be writing to the Commissioner of Police and the Head of the Wild Birds Regulation Unit (WBRU) to ensure that they are aware of this development and that no one can hunt Turtle-doves this spring before the case is decide on Tuesday, and only if the case is lost. Anyone hunting for European Turtle-doves will therefore be breaking the law. WBRU has the responsibility and obligation to inform all hunters about this decision.

BirdLife Malta would like to thank its legal team, namely Dr Mark Soler, Dr Claire Bonello and Dr Philip Manduca, who are all set for Tuesday’s hearing.

Read the Maltese version of the press release here.

You can also find the Court decision on the Warrant of Prohibitory Injunction delivered this morning here.