It creates an alternative political body to ISPRA for opinions on hunting calendars and introduces limits to the possibilities of appealing: we don’t like (obviously) the amendment to the budget law which in fact practically provides for the possibility of hunting always, all year round, in defiance of hunting calendars, and no longer with an independent opinion from the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, but from a political opinion.
The animal rights and environmental associations ask for the intervention of President Sergio Mattarella after the approval of that amendment in the Chamber, inserted they argue, just to favor the doubles lobby.
The 14 signatory associations (Italian Animalists, Cabs, Enpa, National Pro Natura Federation, Lac, Lav, Leal, Leidaa, Legambiente, Lipu, Lndc, Oipa, Rete dei Santuari, WWF Italia) highlight a series of “serious unconstitutionality”, asking the head of state to take it into account when the law arrives on his table. Among all, there are violations of European rules and of the Constitution itself, which two years ago also introduced the protection of the environment and fauna in Article 9.
Precisely the constitutional dictate would be violated with the provision of entrusting to a political body, the national technical wildlife hunting committee established at the Ministry of Agriculture (and which includes members appointed by the Government and other political bodies, as well as representatives of the hunters and other associations), the task of issuing opinions that have the same value as the scientific ones of Ispra, a public, technical and autonomous body, which is part of the Ministry of the Environment and which determines the different huntable species and the calendars hunters.
They are then contested limitations introduced on appeal times that they will make calendars are more difficult to challenge to obtain their suspension if they are judged illegitimate. «It is the sixth pro-hunting amendment measure to law 157 since the beginning of the legislature – the associations point out -. A real obsession for which we are all already paying the consequences.” The reference is to the EU infringement procedure for violation of the Birds Directive after some changes introduced after the 2022 Budget Law.
It is unacceptable – the associations conclude – that Parliament lends itself to these exchanges, even during the budget session, when fundamental decisions for the future of the country must be taken. We therefore ask for a timely and resolute intervention by the President of the Republic to protect the constitutional, environmental and legal rights of citizens and future generations.
