A mere coincidence II

And here is another accident of timing. On Tuesday (29 January) the national parliament of Malta ratified the Treaty of Lisbon. Only after that, (31 January) did the Commission announce that it was going to take Malta to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for continuing to allow its hunters to shoot migrating wild birds in the spring. This clash between EU standards of protecting wildlife and the deep-rooted Maltese habit of shooting anything that dares to enter Maltese airspace, at no matter what time of year, has troubled EU-Malta relations since before Malta was allowed to join the club. The Commission is applying to the ECJ for an order preventing this year's spring hunting season, which is scheduled to start around 20 March, from opening. The temporary ban would give respite while the ECJ rules on the legality of Malta's spring hunting of quails and turtle doves. The Maltese government has said that it will abide by any decision of the court. Bad blood over the EU's unsporting attitude to hunting can no longer prevent ratification of the Lisbon treaty, but the hunting season could yet colour Maltese politics. On Monday, Lawrence Gonzi, the prime minister, called a general election for 8 March. The hunters should be working themselves into an indignant lather by then.