La European Commission opened an investigation into possible violations of the so-called "Birds Directive" after the government of Malta has authorized the killing of 5 thousand turtle doves a few days ago. According to Carmen Vella, Maltese politician and European Commissioner for the Environment, the island should urgently consider a temporary ban to this type of hunting due to theextinction very probable of the volatile, without forgetting other risk factors.
The topic was much discussed in Maltese territory and the limit of 5 thousand turtle doves was established on the basis of the outcome of a referendum which covered the details of the spring hunting season (which ended last year 30th April). Vella himself was pressed by the World Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to contact Malta and take drastic measures against the law authorizing the culling: in fact, in the letter addressed to the commissioner, reference was made to the "Need to save the turtle dove from the real threat of extinction".
For its part, Valletta responded clearly: the quota of birds to be killed has already been reduced from 11 thousand to 5 thousand units and the same number was chosen for the quail. It is not the first time that Malta and the European Union are at loggerheads over the hunt and on one occasion the country has managed to win a lawsuit against the prohibition of spring hunting after having justified it with the fact that the autumn season can never be considered a satisfactory alternative.