Malta should utilise EU opt-out and join Austria and Italy by declaring Malta a GMO-free zone. This was stated by Simon Galea – Spokesperson for Animal Welfare and Agriculture.
Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party reaffirms its position against the cultivation of GMO crops and calls upon the Maltese government to follow footsteps of other EU countries such as Austria and Italy who are requesting an opt-out from growing GMO crops permitted or said to be permitted at EU level.
‘AD is calling upon the Maltese Government to apply for the opt-out measure permitted under new EU regulations. Apart from the introduction of GMOs in the food chain, GMO crop cultivation pose other major threats including cross pollination, something which is particularly relevant to small countries such as Malta. Ecosystems can be badly affected following GMOs cross pollinating with other species thus altering present species with all its implications’ said Simon Galea – Spokesperson for Animal Welfare and Agriculture.
‘Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party is asking Parliamentary Secretariat for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights Roderick Galdes to officially request an opt-out from growing any of the eight varieties of GM maize permitted or set to be permitted under EU law.’ concluded Professor Arnold Cassola, Chairperson AD.
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Malta għandha tagħmel użu mill-miżura tal-‘opt-out’ li toffri l-UE u tingħaqad mal-Awsrtrija u l-Italja billi tiddikjara lil Malta bħala żona ħielsa mill-prodotti ġenetikament modifikati (GMO) . Dan qalu Simon Galea – Kelliem ta’ AD għall-Ħarsien tal-annimali u l-Agrikoltura.
Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party tisħaq il-pożizzjoni tagħha kontra t-tkabbir ta’ uċuħ tar-raba GMO u tħeġġeġ lill-Gvern Malti biex isegwi l-passi ta’ pajjiżi oħra fl-UE bħall-Awstrija u l-Italja li qed jitolbu l-applikazzjoni tal-klawsola tal-‘opt-out’ biex ikunu jistgħu jagħżlu li ma jkabbrux uċuħ tar-raba GMO li jkunu permessi fl-UE.
‘AD qed issejjaħ lill-Gvern Malti biex japplika għall-miżura tal-‘opt-out’ li hija possibbli taħt ir-regoli tal-UE. Apparti mill-introduzzjoni ta’ organiżmi ġenetikament modifikati fil-katina tal-ikel, it-tkabbir ta’ prodotti GMO joħolqu theddid kbir ieħor li jinkludu ‘cross pollination’ – fejn prodotti agrikoli mhux GMO jiddakkru minn prodotti GMO, xi ħaġa li tapplika partikolarment għal pajjiżi żgħar bħal Malta. L-ekosistemi jistgħu ikunu affettwati b’mod negattiv meta ssir din il-‘cross pollination’ ikkawżata mill-użu ta’ prodotti GMO. It-taħlit ma speċi oħra jibdel l-ispeċi preżenti bl-implikazzjonijiet kollha li dan iġib miegħu’, qal Simon Galea–il-Kelliem għall-Ħarsien tal-Annimali u Agrikoltura.
‘Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party qed tħeġġeġ lis-Segretarjat Parlamentari għall-Agrikoltura, Sajd u Drittijiet tal-Annimali, Roderick Galdes biex jitlob uffiċjalment għal ‘opt-out’ mit-tkabbir ta’ xi wieħed minn tmien varjetajiet ta’ qamħirrum li huma permessi jew li x’aktarx se jsiru permessi taħt il-liġi tal-UE’ ikkonkluda l-Professur Arnold Cassola, iċ-Chairperson ta’ AD.
