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And they expect us TCs to "trust" them with our lives.
Jesters of the millenium
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Cyprus defies EU ban, opens spring hunting
Sat, 03 May 2008
The Cypriot government has defied an EU ban on spring hunting, opening the shooting season as planned on May 1.
The hunting season, in which hunters are allowed to shoot Carrion Crows and Black-billed Magpies, was given the go-ahead by the Cypriot government.
In its explanation, the Cypriot government said that unless hunters shoot the two species, they would cause extensive damage to crops and livestock.
The government persisted on this line of argument, despite Birdlife Cyprus protests, which say there is no evidence which backs the argument of the Cypriot government.
Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager at BirdLife International said: "This announcement of the Cypriot government is a post-election reward (Cyprus had elections two months ago, on the same day as Malta) for the national hunting lobby and a provocation to the European Union. Cyprus, like any other Member State, needs to comply with EU law. If migratory birds are put at risk in such a way, many will be shot on their journey to Central and Northern Europe".
The decision to allow hunters to be allowed to shoot is being feared as an opportunity for the hunters to shoot other type of birds, such as the turtle doves.
"When Cyprus gave permission for the spring shooting of European Turtle-dove last year, the European Commission warned that it was infringing the EU Birds Directive – which was followed by a promise of the Cypriot government not to open spring hunting of European Turtle-doves again" a Birdlife statement read.
"Fulfilling a pre-election promise made to hunters, the government this year is going ahead under the disguise of shooting crows and magpies. It is allowing six days of shooting (May 1, 3, 4, 7, 10 and 11 2008) across the whole country at a time when European Turtle-doves are migrating and crows are unlikely to do any crop damage."
Cyprus: Different dates, same position
On Wednesday, Birdlife filed a complaint to the European Commission, Reuters reported.
"There should be no shooting of any birds during this sensitive migration period," said Martin Hellicar, Birdlife Cyprus's Executive Manager.
"This is a crucial period when birds are migrating ... we feel this is an excuse to give hunters the spring shooting they have been clamouring for," he told Reuters.
"The government sets different dates for crow shooting every year, sometimes late April, sometimes late June ... it is nothing suspicious," said Pantelis Hadjiyerou, head of the island's Game Service.
"The hunters, as should always be the case, have to abide by the law. Any hunter falling out of line and who is caught by the Game Service will be charged."
The European Commission ordered Cyprus to curtail its spring hunting period last year but the east Mediterranean island defied such ruling this year.
http://www.maltastar.com/pages/msrv/msf ... p?an=20850
And to top it all the "government" of the so-called "RoC" has the cheek to say "The hunters, as should always be the case, have to abide by the law."!
Bet this wasn't in any GC newspapers, was it?
OMG!!! Where did you read that? 
