By Marinos Pavlikas *:
The hunters separate their position from poaching, unequivocally condemning the illegal mass trafficking of grapevines. What the protesters are demanding is the decriminalization of the hunting of vines using a very small number of rods for personal use
The hunters promise to go to extremes if the Government and the Parliament do not satisfy their demands, as they were set during the recent gathering that took place in Paralimni on Wednesday, October 18th. At the rally, more than three thousand hunters from the province of Famagusta and the rest of Cyprus, came to protest the exhaustive legislation imposed by Parliament last June on hunting and vultures.
The protest focused on the interventions of foreign activists of the non-profit organization CABS on private property, as well as the recent statements of the President of the Ecologists' Movement, George Perdikis, who described the gathering as an "illegal gathering".
Hunters: "We demand back our dignity"
In a statement to "Simerini" on Sunday, the spokesman of the coordination team, which organized the gathering, said that the message was given from Paralimni for the first time that hunters demand equal rights with European hunters. He also referred to the main problems faced by the hunting world, such as nests in the habitats, and the very frequent interventions of the members of the Non-Profit Organization CABS, who, according to them, record their movements with hidden cameras and small drones. Among other things, what hunters need to do immediately are:
· Amend legislation to increase the number of dogs allowed for hunting from 2 to 4.
· Permanent regulation on the issue of hunting dogs.
· Abolition of fees for the use and training of hunting dogs.
· Creation of an independent ladder of MMAD, which will deal exclusively with the fight against poaching of endemic and wild game.
· Amendment of the legislation, in order to allow the possession of xovergs as an element of cultural heritage.
· Amendment of the legislation, so that it is limited to the prohibition of the use and not of the possession of a sound imitation device and reduction of the penalty to € 100 instead of € 500.
· Immediate start of consultations for resumption of the spring turtle divergence.
· Immediate termination of the presence of foreign activists in Cyprus and removal of billboards that have been placed by various organizations against the hunting of vultures on the highway.
In a battle position
The message sent through the rally was clear: If Parliament and the Government do not respond immediately to the hunters' demands by the end of the endemic hunt in early November, they are ready to hold the next and largest mass protest rally outside. the House of Representatives, while the forty thousand more registered Hunters will be called not to renew their party identities. At the same time, a collection of signatures began for the amendment of the legislation and for the prohibition of the activity of the activists. So far, the signatures exceed 10 thousand.
"Distortions in the legislation"
The Chairman of the Environment Committee of the Parliament, Adamos Adamou, referring to the concerns of the hunters, stated that there are indeed distortions in the legislation. The commission said it intended to increase the number of dogs allowed on hunting trips, while condemning the interventions of activists inside private property. Nevertheless, he added, the existing legislation must be accepted, temporarily, since our country is, as it is known, under denunciation by the European Union.
On the issue of vines, Mr. Adamou noted that in order to exclude vines from the prohibited game, during the accession of Cyprus to the European Union, an application should be made for their exclusion, in order to be established as a European acquis, which is not done.
He also did not fail to acknowledge the existence of a group of hunters, who are requesting the exclusion from the law of a number of rods, which will be intended for personal use as an element of the Cypriot tradition, saying that instructions have been given to the European Affairs investigating the existence of the same phenomenon in foreign countries, in order to ask a specific question to the European Commission.
Responding to the critics of the hunters for the exhausting legislation, the Chairman of the Environment Committee of the Parliament stated that the Parliament has not exhausted its strictness but its retreats, since despite the strict European Directive, the grapevines and the chickens have been exempted from the heaviest fines. birdlime.
"We understand the reactions"
The Famagusta District Committee of Ecologists feels unfairly targeted on the issue of hunters' reactions. The District Secretary of the Ecologists-Citizens' Cooperation Movement, Michalis Paraschos, expressed his dissatisfaction with the verbal attacks that he and members of the Famagusta Committee have received from a group of complaining hunters.
As Mr. Parashos mentioned in "S", the statement of the President of the Movement, George Perdikis, about "gathering of illegals" during his presence in the morning news program "Protoselido" of "Sigma" television, has been unjustly misinterpreted, resulting in according to him, targeting the provincial committee.
Nevertheless, Mr. Paraschos expressed his support for the efforts made by the hunting world for justification through requests, which can and can be implemented. He noted that the Ecologists' Movement should be considered an ally in the efforts of hunters and not an enemy, since the common mission of both is to preserve the natural environment, flora and fauna.
Nevertheless, he highlighted the timeless indifference that exists from the decision-making centers to the province of Famagusta, mainly on the issue of vine birds, underlining the long historical tradition that distinguishes the world of Famagusta for poaching, stressing that the Government study in advance these peculiar aspects of an element of the Cultural Heritage for which - for better or worse - heavy penalties are imposed today.
Vinegar birds have been banned since 1957
Despite differing views on the mass participation of hunters in the recent protest, hunters are known to separate their position from poaching, unequivocally condemning the illegal mass trafficking of vines. What the protesters are demanding is the decriminalization of the hunting of vines by using a very small number of rods for personal use.
It is well known that until the beginning of the 80's, Paralimni organized with great success "Dance of Ampelopoulos", which demonstrates the important role that this event played as an element of Cultural Heritage, no matter how incomprehensible that sounds today. However, the vine has been considered an illegal delicacy since 1957. According to data provided by the Famagusta District Committee of Ecologists, a ban on hunting birds has existed since 1957, and then this ban was legalized with our accession to the EU.
The trapping and trafficking of wild birds has been banned since 1974, through Articles 10, 14 and 15 of its 1974 Law on the Protection and Development of Prey and Wild Birds (39/1974). Killing, hunting, possession and consumption of vines have been banned since 1988, when the Republic of Cyprus ratified the "Berne Convention" on the Conservation of the European Wildlife and Natural Habitats Directive, which it had signed since 1979. .
Specifically, the grapevine is included in Annex II of its "strictly protected species of Fauna - Birds" on the Convention for the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Sanctions) Law of 1988 (24/1988). Subsequently, the Cypriot Legislation was harmonized with the Community Directive 2009/147 / EC on the conservation of wild birds (former Directive 79/409 / EEC), whereupon the House of Representatives passed the Law on the Protection and Management of Wild Birds and Prey N. 152 (I) / 2003.
Finally, in July 2011, as a result of the 1st Pan-European Conference on Illegal Bird Slaying, held in Cyprus, the Ministry of Interior and the Door and Fauna Service adopted the "Larnaca Declaration", which provides for the undertaking and implementation of a policy zero tolerance against illegal bird killing.
Defense Minister: "Activists do not enjoy immunity"
The recent statements of the Minister of Justice and Public Order on the issue of grapevines were also characteristic. As Mr. Nikolaou stated, the activists operating in Cyprus do not enjoy any immunity and are illegal when and if they violate the privacy of Cypriot citizens. He also called on hunters to file their complaints, while giving explicit instructions to the Police to investigate any complaints.
* SIMERINI newspaper of Sunday (29/10/2017)