Ħarsien tal-annimali fl-irziezet

Fl-2018, il-Qorti Ewropeja tal-Awdituri iffinalizzat investigazzjoni dwar il-ħarsien tal-annimali fl-irżiezet fl-Unjoni Ewropeja. Fir-rapport finali, intitolat Animal Welfare in the EU: closing the gap between ambitious goals and practical implementation ikkonkludiet li filwaqt li kien hemm progress sostanzjali biex ikun indirizzat it-tħassib tal-utenti, għad hemm in-nuqqasijiet. Hemm lok biex nitgħallmu ferm iktar minn dak li sar s’issa biex jitwettqu l-miri strateġiċi dwar il-ħarsien tal-annimali fl-irziezet tal-Unjoni Ewropeja.

Meta kienet qed tiġi mfassla id-Direttiva imsejħa Mill-Għalqa sal-Platt, il-Kummissjoni Ewropeja ikkommettiet ruħha li sa’ tmiem l-2023 tfassal reviżjoni tal-leġislazzjoni dwar il-ħarsien tal-annimali fl-irziezet.

Il-liġi Ewropeja tirregola l-ħarsien tal-annimali fl-irziezet fi tlett stadji differenti: fir-razzett innifsu, huma u jkunu trasportati minn post għall-ieħor, u fil-proċess tal-qatla.

L-ewwel pass li sar mill-Kummissjoni Ewropeja hu li ġew eżaminati l-liġijiet kollha applikabbli dwar il-ħarsien tal-annimali fl-irziezet, eżami li hu msejjaħ fitness check.  Lesta rapport twil 310 paġna dwar dan. Fih jirreferu ukoll għall-firem miġbura  fl-inizjattiva minn ċittadini Ewropej magħrufa bħala “Tmien iż-żmien tal-gaġġa”. Inizjattiva li sabet appoġġ qawwi mill-Parlament Ewropew.

Wieħed mill-kandidati approvati riċentment għall-elezzjoni tal-Parlament Ewropew ipponta subgħajh lejn waħda mill-miżuri li tissemma fir-rapport dwar il-qagħda attwali tal-ħarsien tal-annimali fl-irziezet. Jidentifika t-tiġieġ tal-bajd b’emfasi fuq il-gaġeġ li qed jintużaw bħalissa, u jekk u meta dawn jistgħu  jkunu pprojibiti, bl-impatt possibli fuq l-industrija lokali tal-bajd.   Huwa ġustament jemfasizza li meta l-Unjoni Ewropeja eventwalment tfassal il-proposti tagħha għandha tassigura ruħha li l-impatti antiċipati tal-proposti jkunu mkejla anke f’xenarju bħal dak lokali fejn l-irziezet huma żgħar u l-art hi għolja.

Huwa ta’ importanza kbira li dawn l-impatti jkunu mkejla sewwa. Hekk isir normalment f’sitwazzjonijiet bħal dawn u nittamaw li dan il-kaz ma jkunx eċċezzjoni.

Fil-fatt, studju li jkejjel l-impatt tal-ideat tal-Kummissjoni Ewropeja dwar il-ħarsien tal-annimali fl-irziezet, imfassal f’Lulju 2021, jemfasizza li l-kundizzjonijiet li fihom jista’ jkun ipprojibit l-użu tal-gageg ikun studjat mhux biss fl-interess tal-annimali infushom imma ukoll tal-interessi ekonomiċiu u soċjali tal-komunità agrikola fl-Unjoni. Dan jinkludi impatt fuq irziezet żgħar, impatti internazzjonali kif ukoll impatti fuq il-kummerċ u fuq l-ambjent. B’mod partikolari ser ikun ikkunsidrat li l-proposti jidħlu fis-seħħ fl- 2027 u dan wara li jitqies kull appoġġ meħtieġ lill-bidwi – mhux biss dik finanzjarja. Dan kollu jfisser li s’issa jidher li ser jitqiesu ċ-ċirkustanzi u l-impatti fuq kulħadd, inkluż tal-irziezet iż-żgħar!

Dak li ntqal dwar it-tiġieġ tal-bajd japplika għall-oqsma l-oħra kollha fejn tinħtieġ il-ħarsien aħjar tal-annimali fis-settur agrikolu. Dan hu meħtieġ li jsir biex aħna bħala pajjiż inkunu kapaċi li nkunu aħna stess li ntejbu l-prattiċi tagħna,  mhux noqgħodu nistennew lil ħaddieħor jgħidilna x’għandna nagħmlu.  

Id-Dipartiment tal-Agrikultura għandu jieħu l-inizjattiva dwar dan. Anke l-Kummissarju għall-Ħarsien tal-Annimali għandha rwol f’dan id-dibattitu nazzjonali tant meħtieġ għall-ħarsien tal-annimali fl-irziezet.

Ikun ferm aħjar kieku is-settur agrikolu jkun kapaċi jorganizza ruħu aħjar biex ikun f’posizzjoni li jkun proattiv u mhux reattiv fil-qasam tal-inizjattivi meħtieġa dwar il-ħarsien tal-annimali fl-irziezet.

F’pajjiżi oħra dak li jiġri riżultat ta’ verifiki settorjali, amministrati u ffinanzjati b’mod adegwat.

 It-tibdil ippjanat fil-liġijiet tal-Unjoni Ewropeja dwar l-annimali fl-irziezet ilna nafu li ġej. Flok ma noqgħodu nistennew li dan jiġri, jkun iktar għaqli jekk inħejju ruħna. Jekk ma nagħmlux hekk ma nistgħu nwaħħlu f’ħadd għal dak li jista’ jinqala’.

ippubblikat fuq Illum: 26 ta’ Frar 2023

The welfare of farm animals

The European Court of Auditors, in 2018, concluded an investigation into animal welfare in the European Union. In its report, entitled Animal Welfare in the EU: closing the gap between ambitious goals and practical implementation it concluded that while substantial progress had been registered in addressing stakeholders’ concerns, weaknesses still persist.  There is scope for a better assessment of lessons learnt when examining how strategic objectives on animal welfare are being implemented across the European Union.

When the EU Farm to Fork Directive was being drawn up, the EU Commission committed itself to a revision of its farm animal welfare legislation by the end of this year.

EU legislation on farmed animals regulates their welfare at three different stages: at a farm level, during their transport as well as during their slaughter.

The first step undertaken by the European Commission was in drawing up of a fitness check of existing EU farm animal welfare legislation. The resulting 310-page report deals with most aspects of EU animal welfare legislation. It also refers to the European Citizens’ Initiative known as The End of Cage Age supported also by the European Parliament.

One of the recently approved MEP election candidates in Malta deemed it appropriate to point his finger at one of a multitude of issues raised in this fitness report of EU farm animal welfare legislation. He identified the issue of egg-laying hens with particular emphasis on the cages currently in use, whether and when these will be banned and the impact of such a decision on the local egg industry. He rightly emphasised that when the EU eventually proceeds to draft its proposals on this matter it should ensure that assessment of the impacts of these proposals on a scenario similar to the local one is not missed. The issues of small farms and high cost of land uptake are basic considerations which cannot be ignored when considering the impacts of any revision.

Properly assessing such impacts is of paramount importance. This is what is normally done in such situations, and we earnestly hope that this specific case will not be an exception!

In fact, an inception impact assessment on the EU Commission’s plans on farm animal welfare, drawn up in July 2021, emphasises that: “The conditions for the prohibition of cage systems will be studied, taking into account animal welfare benefits, the social and economic needs of the farming sector in the EU, including of small farms, the international dimension, including trade aspects, and environmental aspects. In particular, this will assess the feasibility of working towards the proposed legislation entering into force from 2027 taking into account the support to farmers in this transition – financially and otherwise.” So far this is anything but a one-size fits all attitude!

The arguments raised with reference to egg-laying hens should be taken up in respect of all areas of animal welfare in the agricultural sector. This should be done in order to identify whether, as a country, we ought to wait for others to review our practices and shortcomings or else whether we should take the initiative ourselves to improve the welfare of farm animals, without any prompting.

The Department of Agriculture should take the initiative. Even the Commissioner for Animal Welfare has a role to play in the national debate on the welfare of farm animals.

Would it not be much better if the local agricultural sector reorganises itself adequately, such that it can be proactive rather than reactive in all issues of farm animal welfare initiatives?

This is what sectoral auditing, if properly funded and managed, leads to, in other jurisdictions.

The revision of EU farm animal legislation has been on the cards for quite some time. Instead awaiting its happening it would be much better if we start adequate preparation. If we are once more unprepared, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday : 26 February 2023

Peter Agius inkwetat dwar il-bajd

Id-dibattitu dwar il-ħarsien tal-annimali huwa wieħed importanti dejjem, mhux biss meta jaqbel. Huwa importanti ukoll anke meta ma jaqbilx. Anke meta ninqarsu finanzjarjament.

Il-proposta li qed tinħema biex it-tiġieġ ma jinżammux fil-gaġeġ mhiex waħda ġdida. Li t-tiġieġ ma jinħaqrux hu importanti daqskemm hu importanti li ma jinħaqrux il-klieb u l-qtates u ż-żwiemel! Meta tiġieġa tinżamm ħajjitha kollha f’gaġġa tkun qed tinħaqar.

Fl-industrija diġa hemm min hu konxju ta’ dan u jrabbi t-tiġieġa bi spazju fejn jiġru: free range jgħidulhom. Anke Malta għandna min irabbi t-tiġieġ għall-bajd b’dan il-mod.

Il-proposta teffettwa l-produzzjoni fuq skala industrijali tal-bajd. Fil-prattika tfisser bosta iktar spejjes u jista’ jkun li tagħmilha diffiċli li f’Malta nibqgħu nipproduċu l-bajd fuq skala industrijali . Anke l-prodott jiġi jiswa iktar, madwar id-doppju!

6 bajdied prodotti minn tiġieġ fil-gaġeġ f’Malta bħalissa jixtraw bejn €1.25 u  €1.50. Dawk prodotti minn tiġieġ free-range jiswew madwar €2.25 għal kull 6 bajdied.

Bla dubju l-proposta jkollha effett kemm fuq il-bdiewa li jrabbu t-tiġieġ għall bajd kif ukoll  fuq l-għoli tal-ħajja u dan għax il-prodott li nixtru jiġi jiswa’ iktar.

Irridu pero nifhmu x’qed ngħidu: din hi proposta biex tonqos il-moħqrija tal-annimali. Li qed jgħid Peter Agius hu li għalih f’dawn iċ-ċirkustanzi l-moħqrija tal-annimali hi ġustifikata!

Peter: ma naqblux!

Il-prezz tal-lum tal-bajd li nixtru hu baxx imma jħallsu għalih it-tiġieġ għaliex jinħaqru. Xorta jista’ jkollna l-bajd, imma mingħajr ma jinħaqru it-tiġieġ.

Hemm bżonn ħafna iktar ħidma biex tonqos u possibilment tkun eliminata kompletament il-moħqrija tal-annimali.

L-annimali, il-moħqrija u l-ikel fuq il-platt

Issa għaddew iktar minn seba’ snin minn meta issejjaħ ir-referendum dwar il-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa. Referendum li kien inizjattiva ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika flimkien ma’ koalizzjoni ta’ 13-il għaqda ambjentali u tal-ħarsien tal-annimali u li kien intilef b’numru żgħir ħafna ta’ voti. Kultant dan il-proċess demokratiku jerġa’ jissemma’ fl-aħbarijiet u dan billi l-għaqdiet tal-kaċċaturi jridu  jnaqqsu l-aċċess għal dan id-dritt. S’issa, fortunatement, ħadd ma jidher li ta każ tagħhom. Imma ħadd ma jaf jekk l-affarijiet jinbidlux fil-futur!

Flok ma nirrestrinġu l-użu demokratiku tal-għodda tar-referendum għandna nikkunsidraw li nestendu l-użu tiegħu. Sal-lum għandna d-dritt li niġbru l-firem biex jissejjaħ referendum li jipproponi li titħassar liġi jew parti minnha. Għalhekk jissejjaħ referendum “abrogattiv” għax huwa referendum li jħassar ligi jew parti tagħha. Dan id-dritt demokratiku  għandu jkun estiż biex ikun possibli li jittieħdu inizjattivi dwar liġijiet li l-Parlament jevita b’mod kontinwu.  ADPD-The Green Party repetutament ippropona li dan isir bi proposti speċifiċi fil-manifest elettorali. L-aħħar darba li dan sar kien fl- elezzjoni ġenerali tal-2022.

Ir-referendum tal-2015 dwar il-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa kien biex jitħassru regolamenti li kienu jippermettu l-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa. B’dan il-pass kienet tkun qed tiġi imħarsa l-bijodiversità u dan għax fil-perjodu li l-għasafar ibejtu l-ebda kaċċa ma kienet tkun permessa.   Dan imma ma kienx jindirizza l-ħarsien tal-għasafar b’mod iktar wiesa’. Biex dan ikun jista’ jseħħ teħtieġ li tkun abolita l-kaċċa f’kull żmien. Din fil-fatt kienet, u nifhem li għada, l-posizzjoni ġustifikata tal-għaqdiet li jaħdmu favur l-annimali.

Id-dibattitu lokali dwar il-ħarsien tal-annimali hu sfortunatament limitat għall-annimali li nżommu fid-djar (pets), dawk li jintużaw fir-riċerka, kif ukoll riċentment għaż-żmiemel li jintużaw mal-karozzini. Ittieħdu diversi inizjattivi dwar iż-żwiemel u dan wara ħidma bla waqfien mill-għaqidet li jaħdmu favur il-ħarsien tal-annimali.

Il-mod kif l-industrja tal-agrikultura timxi mal-annimali fl-irziezet hi materja ta’ importanza. Qed jingħata importanza dejjem ikbar fl-Unjoni Ewropeja.

Riċentement, Alison Bezzina, il-Kummissarju għall-Ħarsien tal-Annimali ippruvat testendi d-diskussjoni dwar dan kollu billi ikkummentat dwar il-konsum tal-ħalib. Il-kummenti tagħha saru fil-Jum Dinji tal-Ħalib (3 ta’ Ġunju). Hi ibbażat il-kummenti tagħha fuq dak li jgħaddu minnu l-baqar li jipproduċu l-ħalib b’mod naturali għall-għoġġiela tagħhom u jispiċċaw jeħdulhom kemm il-ħalib kif ukoll lill-għoġġiela biex jinbiegħ kummerċjalment!  

L-argument dwar il-mod kif nimxu mal-annimali jkompli. Intqal illi kieku l-biċċerija għandha ħitan tal-ħġieg, ħadd iktar ma jiekol laħam. Il-punt hu li l-mod kif jiġi prodott il-laħam jassoġġetta lill-annimali għall-moħrija esaġerata li, kieku tkun magħrufa, tant taħsad nies li kważi ħadd iktar ma jmiss il-laħam b’mod permanenti.

It-trasparenza fil-biċċerija u l-fabbriki tal-annimali hi essenzjali biex ikun assigurat li r-regoli bażiċi li jħarsu lill-annimali mill-moħqrija bla sens qed jiġu osservati.

It-triq mir-razzett sal-mejda tal-ikel hi mimlija bi problemi konnessi mat-trattament ħażin tal-annimali. Li kellna nkunu nafu iktar dak li jseħħ wara l-bibien magħluqin tal-irżieżet jew tal-fabbriki tal-annimali bla dubju jkollna  nibdew naħsbu sewwa dwar l-għażliet tagħna ta’ dak li nieklu. Dawn huma għażliet li ħafna drabi nagħmluhom b’għajnejna magħluqa, bla ħafna ħsieb. Huma għażliet awtomatiċi li ħafna drabi ftit tajna każ ta’ xi jfissru: għax dejjem hekk għamilna.

L-etika dwar dak li nieklu hi estensjoni naturali tad-dibattitu ambjentali. Fil-fatt il-ġustizzja ambjentali u l-ħarsien tal-annimali huma tewmin.

In-numru ta’ dawk li ma jieklux laħam qiegħed jiżdied kif qiegħed jiżdied in-numru ta’ dawk li ma jridux imissu prodotti ġejjin mill-ħalib. Din iż-żieda hi waħda fuq livell globali. Dawn l-għażliet qed isiru fuq konsiderazzjonijiet ambjentali, konsiderazzjonijiet dwar ħarsien tal-annimali kif ukoll konsiderazzjonijiet etiċi.

Il-Gvern jippenalizza lil dawk li jagħmlu għazliet etiċi dwar l-ikel. Dan ġie emfasizzat riċentement waqt intervista ta’ Darryl Grima, ambjentalist, veġan u attivist kontra l-qtil tal-annimali għall-ikel. Hu meħtieġ li l-Gvern ma jibqax jippenalizza lil min jagħmel dawn l-għażliet. Darryl Grima jsemmi eżempju wieħed. Il-ħalib hu meqjus bħala prodott tal-ikel u għaldaqstant fuqu ma titħallasx taxxa fuq il-valur miżjud (VAT). Imma l-prodotti li jintużaw bħala alternattivi għall-ħalib ma jitqiesux bħala ikel u allura huma soġġetti għall-VAT. Dan mhux sewwa u għandu jinbidel.

Mahatma Gandhi kien jemfasizza li “l-kobor ta’ nazzjon u l-progress morali tiegħu jitkejjel minn kif huwa jittratta lill-annimali.”  Dan jgħodd għal kulħadd, f’kull żmien.

ippubblikat fuq Illum : 10 ta’ Lulju 2022

On birds and other animals

It has been seven years since the spring hunting referendum, a Green Party initiative in Malta supported by a coalition of 13 environmental and animal welfare NGOs, was lost by the smallest of margins.  Occasionally we still have public references to that democratic process as the hunting lobby wants to restrict its availability. So far, fortunately, they have not been heeded. One does not however know whether this will remain so.

Rather than restricting the use of a referendum by popular demand one should consider extending it. The right to call an abrogative referendum should be extended to also include a referendum which proposes legislative initiatives. So far, we have the right to take the initiative to delete legislation or part of it, hence the term “abrogative” meaning “to delete”. This democratic right should be extended to make it possible to include the taking of legislative initiatives by the electorate, in particular those initiatives which are continuously avoided by Parliament. ADPD-The Green Party has time and again proposed the matter in its electoral manifesto, including in the manifesto for the 2022 general elections.

The 2015 spring hunting referendum sought to delete from the statute book legislation permitting spring hunting. This would have addressed issues of biodiversity by abolishing hunting during the bird breeding season. The 2015 referendum initiative did not however address issues of animal welfare as in such a case one would have to consider the complete abolition of hunting. This was and in fact still is the valid view of a number of animal welfare NGOs.

The local debate on animal welfare is unfortunately limited to treatment of pets, to animals used in research and relatively recently to the welfare of horses used by the local cabs (karozzini). Various initiatives in this respect have been embarked on in the past years as a result of the persistent lobbying by animal welfare NGOs.

The treatment of farm animals is a basic issue which is not given due weight by the agricultural industry. It is given an ever-increasing importance within the EU.

Recently, Alison Bezzina, the Animal Welfare Commissioner sought to extend the animal welfare debate by challenging the need for milk consumption. She did this in her comments on World Milk Day (3 June) basing her arguments on what cows are made to endure in order to produce milk for human consumption. It was pointed out that access of the new born calves to that same milk which nature provides for their subsistence is diverted to human use!

Extending the argument further, it has been stated by many others that if the abattoir had glass walls none of us would ever eat meat again. The point made being is, to put it mildly, that the process to produce meat for our consumption causes a lot of unnecessary suffering to animals, which, if we are aware of, would put most of us off meat consumption permanently.

Transparency at the abattoir and farm factories is essential in order to ascertain as to whether the basics of animal welfare standards are being adhered to!

From the farm to the fork there are many issues of animal welfare which are continuously ignored by one and all. Being aware as to what goes on behind the closed doors of farms and farm factories would undoubtedly force us to think carefully about our choices of food. Choices which, so far, we take for granted, as they are choices which we consider to be automatic ones and which we rarely think about.

The ethics of what we eat is a natural extension of the environmental debate. In fact, environmental justice and animal welfare are twins.

The number of those who do not eat meat as well as those who do not consume dairy products is on the increase on a global level. Their choices are based on environmental, animal welfare and ethical considerations.

Government penalises those who make ethical choices when it comes to food! This was emphasised recently in an interview by Darryl Grima, an environmentalist, vegan and End the Slaughter campaigner. It is about time that government does not penalise those making such choices. Darryl Grima refers to one example. Dairy milk is considered as food and is therefore not subject to value added tax (VAT). Its substitutes, however, plant-based milks, are still subject to VAT. This is unacceptable and should change.

Mahatma Gandhi used to emphasise that “the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated”.  This is food for thought: pun intended.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday 10 July 2022

Iż-żwiemel bil-pensjoni !

Dan l-aħħar kellna żewġ inċidenti fit-toroq li kienu jinvolvu ż-żwiemel. Żewġt iżwiemel tal-karozzini kkollassaw fit-triq. Wieħed minnhom miet.

Bla dubju ix-xemx qalila ma tagħmel ġid lil ħadd, l-anqas liż-żwiemel.

L-għaqda favur il-ħarsien tal-annimali Animal Liberation Malta ħadet l-opportunitá biex tiġbed l-attenzjoni tal-pubbliku fuq il-ħtieġa li nagħtu iktar każ ta’ x’inhu jiġri.

Bla dubju l-ewwel pass hu li l-annimali, f’dan il-kaz iż-żwiemel, ma jiġux imħaddma f’kundizzjonijiet kiefra. Għax dawn iż-żwiemel, fil-qilla tax-xemx, fuq asphalt jikwi jkun jeħtieġilhom jiġbdu karozzin b’piz mhux żgħir. Il-fuq fit-telgħa, jew l-isfel fin-niżla.

Trid ferm iktar minn saħħa ta’ żiemel għal dan ix-xogħol.

Permezz tal-veterinarji tiegħu l-Gvern għandu jirregola ftit is-sitwazzjoni. F’dawn il-kundizzjonijiet ta’ sħana tremenda m’għandux ikollna karozzini fit-toroq tagħna.

M’għandi l-ebda dubju li l-parti l-kbira tas-sidien taż-żwiemel jieħdu ħsiebhom, ħafna drabi qieshom membri addizzjonali tal-familja. Imma jibqa’ l-fatt li għalihom iż-żiemel huwa ukoll il-mezz tal-għixien. Anke huma għandhom bżonn l-għajnuna biex l-għixien tagħhom ma jibqax dipendenti fuq it-tbatija tal-annimali.

Huwa l-mument li l-istat jintervjeni biex din is-soċjetá li tħoss u tħenn tieħu ħsieb sewwa ukoll taż-żwiemel li jkun waslilhom iż-żmien li joħorġu bil-pensjoni.

Taqta’ fejn taqta’ joħroġ id-demm

L-argument dwar iċ-ċirkwit tal-tlielaq tal-karozzi qiegħed jiġi mpoġġi ħażin.

Uħud qed jgħidu li dan iċ-ċirkwit m’għandux jitqiegħed f’ODZ. Dan hu argument li min qed jagħmlu m’jafx x’inhu jgħid. Għax l-ebda ċirkwit tat-tlielaq tal-karozzi ma jsir ġo żona ta’ żvilupp.

Jiena nħares lejn il-materja b’mod ħafna differenti.

Nistaqsi: Għandna biżżejjed art għal din l-attività? Nafu li din l-attività tirrikjedi kwantità kbira ta’ art?

Tkun fejn tkun l-art ser toħloq xi forma ta’ impatt. Tista’ teffettwa raba’ li qed jintuża jew kien jintuża għall-agrikultura. Tista’ minflok teffettwa xagħri u allura l-impatt ikun iżjed wieħed fuq riżorsi naturali u bijodiversità. Dan apparti wirt storiku jew arkejoloġiku li jiddependi minn fejn tkun l-art.

Jekk min-naħa l-oħra l-proposta tkun viċin wisq l-abitat (kemm jekk ODZ kif ukoll, agħar jekk ġoż-żona ta’ l-iżvilupp) l-impatti fuq ir-residenti ser ikunu ta’ natura sostanzjali. Hemm l-impatti kkawżati mill-istorbju kif ukoll mit-tniġġiż tal-arja bħala riżultat tal-użu ta’ kwantità kbira ta’ fuel fit-tlielaq.

L-istorbju ma jeffettwax biss lill-bniedem. Jeffettwa ukoll lin-natura. Jeffettwa ukoll l-annimali fl-irziezet. Hemm diversi regoli u liġijiet dwar dan li jirrestrinġu ċerta attività bħalma hi dik tat-tlielaq tal-karozzi.

Jiġifieri taqta’ fejn taqta’ joħroġ id-demm.

L-art li ser tkun meħtieġa hi waħda sostanzjali. Qabel l-aħħar elezzjoni d-delettanti tal-isport tat-tlielaq tal-karozzi kienu taw indikazzjonijiet li l-art meħtieġ tista’ tkun bejn it-33 tomna u 40 tomna.

Mhux kull art li tista’ tkun magħżula ser ikollha l-istess impatt. Irridu nistennew u naraw għax tkun liema tkun l-art li ser tintagħżel ser toħloq problema. Peró din bil-fors ser tkun ODZ – barra miż-żona tal-iżvilupp! Għax ma tista’ tkun imkien iktar.

Meta nisma’ proposti bħal din dwar iċ-ċirkwit tat-tlielaq tal-karozzi huwa ċar li uħud donnhom għad ma jridux jaċettaw iċ-ċokon tal-pajjiż. Minħabba dan iċ-ċokon attività bħat-tlielaq tal-karozzi fl-opinjoni tiegħi ma jagħmlux sens.

Snippets from the EGP Manifesto: (14) Animal Protection

 

We are well known for our commitment to animal protection and Greens in the European Parliament are at the forefront of legal and political moves to provide ever increasing standards of well-being for all sentient beings. We urgently need to move away from factory farming, with its horrendous record on animal welfare and its intensive use of antibiotics.

We have led the fight against excessive animal testing and will continue to do so. We want to significantly reduce animal transport times and to end live animal exports. At the international level, the EU must be more energetic in combating wildlife trafficking, protecting marine mammals and defending its ban on seal products. We support a ban on fur farming. (EGP 2014 Manifesto section entitled  : Animal Protection.)

Snippets from AD’s electoral manifesto: (30) Protecting performing animals

The following extract is taken verbatim from Chapter 4 of AD’s Electoral Manifesto

Animals which are utilised for entertainment purposes should be protected from cruelty. Thus, authorities should not issue permits for circuses with performing animals. These animals endure suffering due to transportation, whilst being impelled to perform acts which go against their nature. This also applies to the use of animals in other forms of entertainment, such as dolphinariums and feasts such as that of St. Peter and St. Paul (lmnarja).

L-Estratt segwenti hu meħud kelma b’kelma mill-Kapitlu 4 tal-Manifest Elettorali ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika

L-annimali li jintużaw għal skop ta’ divertiment għandhom jiġu mħarsa mill-moħqrija. Għalhekk l-awtoritajiet m’għandhomx joħorġu permessi għal ċirku bl-annimali. Dawn l-annimali jsofru kemm minħabba t-trasport, kif ukoll minħabba li jiġu sfurzati jagħmlu affarijiet kontra n-natura tagħhom. Dan jgħodd ukoll għall-użu ta’ annimali f’forom oħra ta’ divertiment, bħal dolfinarji u waqt festi bħall-Imnarja.

Snippets from AD’s electoral manifesto: (14) Animal Welfare

The following extract is taken verbatim from Chapter 4 of AD’s Electoral Manifesto

AD is for the abolition of hunting in spring and enforcement against hunting illegalities.

The enforcement of animal welfare legislation should be strengthened and harsher punishment should be meted out for crimes relating to animal cruelty, such as dog and cock fighting, animal abandonment or neglect.
L-Estratt segwenti hu mehud kelma b’kelma mill-Kapitlu 4 tal-Manifest Elettorali ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika

L-AD favur l-abolizzjoni tal-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa u favur l-infurzar effettiv kontra l-illegalitajiet tal-kaċċa.

Għandu jissaħħaħ l-infurzar tal-liġijiet li jħarsu l-annimali. Għandhom jiħraxu l-pieni fuq atti barbari ta’ moħqrija fuq l-annimali, bħall-ġlied tal-klieb u s-sriedaq, kif ukoll għal min jinqabad jabbanduna annimali jew irabbihom f’kundizzjonijet mhux xierqa.