In view of Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil’s declaration that politicians should stay out of the spring hunting debate because the decision rested on the will of the people in a referendum, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, said: “Whilst it is clear that the spring hunting issue will be decided by the people in the referendum that they have asked and worked for, it is the duty of politicians to take a clear position and make their opinion clearly known to the people. Politicians are there to make their principles clearly known to one and all and to be clear about what they stand for. Sitting on the fence and keeping mum about important national issues is tantamount to admitting that politicians have abdicated from their responsibility to stand for values and principles.”
Carmel Cacopardo, AD Deputy Chairperson, said that Alternattiva Demokratika has always been clear: for the past 25 years, since its foundation, it has campaigned for the need to cancel spring hunting from the statute book. Unfortunately, as a result of backroom deals between the hunting lobby and the Parliamentary Parties (PN and PL), Malta has ended up in the current mess, the exclusive and joint responsibility of the Nationalist Party and the Labour Party. This mess can only be cleared up by a popular vote through an abrogative referendum in the coming months.
…
Fil-kuntest tad-dikjarazzjonti tal-Kap tal-Oppożizzjoni Simon Busuttil li l-politiċi m’għandomx jidħlu fid-dibattitu dwar il-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa minħabba li d-deċiżjoni se tittieħed mill-poplu f’referendum, iċ-Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, il-Prof. Arnold Cassola, qal: “Filwaqt li huwa ċar li l-kwistjoni tal-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa ser tkun deċiża min-nies fir-referendum li talbu u ħadmu għalih huma stess, huwa d-dmir tal-poitiċi li jieħdu pożizzjoni ċara u jagħtu l-opinjoni tagħhom lill-poplu. Il-Politiċi qegħdin hemm biex jagħmlu l-prinċipji tagħhom magħrufa ma kulħadd biex ikunu ċari dwar xi jsarrfu. Li tibqa’ fuq iċ-ċint u b’ħalqek magħluq dwar kwistjonijiet ta’ importanza nazzjonali huwa bħallikieku qed tammetti li l-politiċi farfru mir-responsabbiltajiet tagħhom li jiġġieldu għall-prinċipji u l-valuri li jħaddnu.”
Carmel Cacopardo, id-Deputat Chairman ta’ AD, qal li Alternattiva Demokratika dejjem kienet ċara: għal dawn l-aħħar 25 sena mit-twaqqif tagħha, għamlet kampanja dwar il-ħtieġa li nħassru l-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa mil-liġi Maltija. Sfortunatament, minħabba l-ftehim klandestin bejn il-kaċċaturi u l-Partiti rappreżentati fil-parlament (PN u PL), Malta spiċċat f’din il-kawlata li qegħda fiha, ir-riċetta msawra esklussivament mill-Partit Nazzjonalista u l-Partit Laburista flimkien. Dan it-taħwid jista’ jissolva biss b’vot popolari permezz tar-referendum abrogattiv li se jsir fix-xhur li ġejjin.
