Many invalid signatures, the referendum against hunting does not pass. And the hunters, from Perugia, go on the offensive: immediately a class action that compensates decades of damage to the environment and to Italian shotguns. This is the initiative launched by Mario Bartoccini (wildlife researcher), Danilo Mattioli and Francesco Ravacchioli (Club Cacciatori Le Torri), Moreno Raggetti (Club of the Umbrian-Tuscan Apennine pigeon), Evandro Caiello (Confavi Orvieto), Claudio Tortoioli (Environmental hunting association Born Free Perugia). A class action that compensates decades of damage to the environment and to Italian hunters after the ways in which - they argue - the Committee against hunting has collected the signatures to promote the abrogative referendum, without hitting the target.
“The confusing collection of signatures against Italian hunting - the hunters attack - is an absurdity that is unique in the world. In the squalor of the promoters there is certainly no protection of the environment, fauna and habitat, but only and exclusively the search for consensus to appropriate armchairs and live on the shoulders of Italian taxpayers ". The Draghi government, by granting an extra month for the collection of signatures, in the opinion of the writers has made a very serious choice of party, a clear favor to the retrograde and harmful animal rights activists. In the deafening silence of politics, among those who should defend the popular hunt. But despite this, of the 520.000 signatures collected, more than 30% are not valid and therefore the quorum has not been reached. "The irregularities - underline the hunters - are many and the competent authorities can reset everything, to avoid further serious economic and environmental damage, and further compromise the safety, even of urban areas, with the total out of control of even large game" .
“Hunting represents - continue the hunters - an indispensable form for environmental protection, the balance of fauna, marginal areas, the concrete safeguarding of biodiversity as a whole”. In addition to being "a tradition rich in knowledge". It is a phenomenon of social importance that creates 900.000 jobs supported by 2.400 companies, and more than half a point of GDP, tax revenues for the State and Regions. The hunting world, which has already won many challenges, was however ready to reject the attack on law 157, which has as its main objective the protection of fauna, also limiting the Italian hunting practice, more than any other country in Europe. He also firmly opposes the attempt to abolish article 842 of the Civil Code, which allows entry into private funds to hunt and collect spontaneous fruit. And in any case go to the countryside and nature, obviously without damaging the properties.
“Which has always - they remember - allowed creation to be usable, which is the basis of a democratic, open and supportive society. It would be interesting to understand who and for what? Many work for a gift to the large estates, which is not requested ". Faced with this prospect, "which would add insult to the damage", the Perugian and Umbrian hunters relaunch with precise and concrete requests: "We believe the time has imperatively come to unmask and call to their responsibilities: those who for years have imposed limitations, errors, harassment against Italian hunting, but which in truth have a total impact on security, the balance of wildlife and economic activities. Just think of the many limitations we have suffered for years. And then add the overflow of Ispra, which, with the provisions of the TAR, conditions Italian hunting beyond measure ”. Ispra which is called upon to express technical consultative opinions, but which would not bind the Regions. Instead, “the strong conditioning of recent years has limited the hunting seasons throughout Italy, to the detriment of hunters and the Regions, reduced to the rank of mere appearance on the subject.
By effectively eliminating regional autonomy itself. Also on a subject that the legislator wished to reserve for individual regions, such as the drafting of hunting calendars ". On the other hand, the writers denounce the "weak position" of the regional offices and councilors, which yield to Ispra's forcing ". Which becomes the pretext for limiting hunters, "served by some animal welfare associations, and even hunting ones, and political groups to squeeze Italian hunting". "Ispra must be abolished" the hunters denounce. Then there is the problem of noble sedentary game. “The beginning of the season - the writers point out - unfortunately confirms how much we have already reported and cost, almost non-existent, noble sedentary game. Of the 80.000 heads of game reproducers released in the winter months, costs incurred entirely with resources from the pockets of Umbrian hunters, about 900 thousand euros.
Considering that the annual collection of about 20 thousand Umbrian hunters is around 35-40 thousand heads, there is a total failure of the wildlife management of the three ATCs, both due to the excessive presence of wild boars and predators, foxes and corvids, and for the lack of noble sedentary game ". The hunters then complain about "continuous interference and harassment due to harvesting periods and absurd rules that damage biodiversity and the environment, endanger road safety, crops and livestock". Hence the decision to consult lawyers to evaluate the possibility of a class action that compensates the damage that hunters (but also all citizens) have suffered for years. The Umbrian regional councilor, not departing from the Ispra opinions - continue the writers - while being able to do so, damages the regional institution itself and in fact chooses to support the most extremist positions of animal welfare associations.
"A real betrayal of the Umbrian hunting - they attack - promises and assumption of commitments made during the electoral campaign of the regional, completely disregarded". Hence the request for what the Region should do immediately. First of all, a leading role is requested in the State-Regions Conference, which unlocks the turtle dove issue, with a plan for the protection of habitats and huntability from 2022 September 2022. Then, by means of a legislative act, establish the hunting calendar for 2023/10 and the beginning of the hunting season. for sedentary and migratory, the first Sunday of September, closing on XNUMX February. The “total inadequacy of the regional hunting fauna consultation, the insufficiency of the wildlife observatory is also denounced: agricultural and hunting activities, biodiversity, require preventive work. Recalling that for years it is above all spontaneous groups that have worked to protect the environment and fauna, also collaborating with farmers. Groups now requesting to be represented in the council (Still today).