In a joint statement issued today Gaia Foundation, Nature Trust (Malta), Friends of the Earth Malta and BirdLife Malta welcomed those candidates for the European Parliament who have put environmental and social issues as priorities in their election campaigns.

The NGOs expressed their firm belief that all MEP candidates from across the political spectrum should respect the EU nature conservation directives and work for the benefit of Malta’s natural environment and not for the benefit of certain interest groups.

With environmental issues becoming more of a priority to Maltese citizens, some European Parliament candidates such as Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas and Edward Demicoli have so far highlighted the importance of environmental issues during their election campaigns and given this issue a higher focus.

However, in reaction to Edward Demicoli’s position against spring hunting, the Hunters Federation FKNK recently issued a directive to its members urging them to boycott Mr. Demicoli.

“It is evident that the FKNK administration has no respect for EU Nature Directives but is instead solely interested in retaining their own interest,” the NGOs stated. “In today’s age Maltese citizens, whether they are hunters or not, have the liberty and wisdom of choosing whom to vote based on their free will and not on medieval directives issued by interest groups such as the FKNK. Considering the existing ground support for putting nature protection high on the agenda, such calls for boycotts will most likely backfire.”

The NGOs added that they also expected all the political parties to respect the position of the MEP election candidates in line with their statements that the environment is a priority for their party.  The parties should therefore support these candidates who have committed themselves in working towards the full implementation of the EU Nature Directives and to safeguard both Malta and Europe’s common natural heritage from threats such as climate change, pollution and illegal hunting among other important environmental issues, the NGOs concluded.