Hunting directive breach could place Greece in the dock

Date: 13/02/03

By David Cronin

GREECE could face action in the European Court of Justice for breaching a directive which prohibits the hunting of wild birds in their migration period.

The current Greek hunting season, which began on 20 August 2002, is set to run until 28 February.

Conservationists say species such as the mallard, pintail, song thrush and tufted duck continue to migrate through Greece in the first two weeks of February and are not being protected.

Franz Fischler, the agriculture commissioner, confirmed this week that the EU executive has issued a 'reasoned opinion' against Greece, an initial step towards legal proceedings, for alleged poor implementation of the 1979 directive.

According to the Commission, the Greeks have designated fewer special protection areas for birds than they should have done.

The Greek agriculture ministry has defended its decision to authorise a six-month hunting season by contending that species which may be pursued are not at risk.

But left-wing MEP Mihail Papayannakis, who raised the issue with the Commission, said legal action against his country may be necessary to reduce the power of the hunting lobby.

He has criticised a possible conflict of interest involving Nikolas Papadodimas, who is both head of the authority managing EU funding in Greece and president of the Greek Hunting Confederation.

Papadodimas has been strongly supportive of a plan for the EU's 'Leader+' rural development programme for 2002-2006, which seeks to give hunters a say in how forests are managed.

"Nobody can prove he has done something illegal," Papayannakis said. "But there is certainly a contradiction.

"Every year we have a problem with the hunters' influence; the government generally gives them one month more [in the hunting season's duration] than it should."

Greece could face action in the European Court of Justice for breaching a directive which prohibits the hunting of wild birds in their migration period.