Announces scandalous letter of hunters to the Vice Minister: criticism was sent in terrible words

The vice minister presented her version

Rasa Vaitkevičiūtė, President of the Hunting Management Advisory Council, Deputy Minister of Environment Delphi day He presented his version of how and why that decision was made.

“First of all, it should probably be explained that no such decision has been made, a ban has simply been introduced and I will tell you why soon.” The ban was introduced after the Republic of Lithuania’s Arms and Ammunition Control Law was passed in June last year, which repealed the regulation of bows and arrows on how they can be used. Therefore, as early as July, we received questions from hunters about whether we could use bows and what it would look like. After such speeches, we started to see what it would be like here and we introduced a ban, because EU law does not say and does not regulate hunting bows and arrows, so we had to introduce this regulation into future hunting rules, stopping the ban that hunting bows will not be allowed until 2020. are used, “says the Deputy Minister.

When asked why there was so much dissatisfaction and criticism, the interviewee says that people simply did not delve into the news.

“Perhaps there was a lack of explanation, but other laws should be taken into account, not the hunting law or the hunting rules. The hunting rules are lower legislation because we do not have a higher one to regulate this in the country (…) we are facing a legal well.

If both a hunter and a user of said device were caught, we would not even have the opportunity to punish him, so we had to establish a ban that doing so is strictly prohibited until 2022, ”added the Vice Minister.

Do not believe the Vice Minister’s conclusions

Vaidas Balys, a member of the Baltic Wolf Nature Conservation Association, opposes such a decision and says that such interpretations interpreted by the Deputy Minister are new to him. According to him, the lack of coordination of the process was the most deficient.

“I have to admit that this new interpretation is completely new for me and for me it is like a very interesting defensive strategy. A thing removed from the Arms and Ammunition Control Act does not automatically become legal for hunting. There are two points in hunting: what can and cannot be hunted. For bows to be used in hunting, they must be registered with the allowed equipment. They have not been there since 2004 and have not automatically become legal.

And what the deputy minister says they have banned is the point: the use of these tools in hunting is prohibited. The postponement is due not only to the need to prepare for it, but also to the fact that it can be explained that we are supposed to debate with the public, but we have already seen it, there was no discussion, “said the interlocutor.

“It is difficult for me to believe what I see and hear,” he added.

When asked if this question is relevant to many hunters, the Vice Minister assured that he could not say exactly.

“I wouldn’t say if many hunters would like to hunt bows, but if four hunting organizations have made such an offer and a wish, then there is apparently a need. If so many of their trees are another question. As far as I know, it is a precious treat. “Says R. Vaitkevičiūtė.

The decisions were not coordinated

V. Balys, meanwhile, emphasizes that these decisions have not been coordinated at all.

“The deputy minister said that the hunters had presented proposals, but they forgot the second part: how it was coordinated in the council. It was agreed that when the hunters present offers, it will be coordinated, so there was no part of that coordination. This part should not forget, “says V.Balys.

According to him, it is important to emphasize that the situation and decisions are presented in a transparent and clear way.

“In 2018, the current minister was one of the members of Seimas. As far as I know, Kęstutis Mažeika was one of the initiators. Then it became clear that it was for commercial hunting to be able to earn more money with our animals or, as it treats the current ministry, wildlife resources How it’s done: I don’t know, I’m not a hunter.

In fact, I don’t even care much. I see from the point of view that the ministry should represent the public and not four or five organizations, wildlife should be important, it should be clarified which is more important: protection of nature, protection of wildlife or other things, other thing, how it is combined with society. I do not want everything to be “soaped” and forgotten here, “said the interlocutor on the program.

“I’m a little ashamed of these people, they better admit to a mistake,” he says.

He promises to publicize the correspondence.

V. Balys says that he intends to make public some internal correspondence with some hunters, whose speeches, according to the interlocutor, are very offensive.

“We will publish the internal correspondence: the same hunters loved by the Vice Minister. In my opinion, they have responded to our proposals with balanced responses on the edge of the law, and I wonder how the Vice Minister will react to such behavior by the members.

It will also be a kind of litmus paper. He was simply ridiculed: he called himself corruption, blackmailers, offered to wash his head, etc. Such advice, in my opinion, should dissolve at the same time and become something that works. For me, at least in the place of the Vice Minister, it would be a great shame if she did nothing in this place, “says the interlocutor.

In scandalous correspondence – offensive words

There was a long correspondence between members of the Hunting Management Advisory Council during the change of hunting rules, which at the last moment legalized hunting since 2022.

But as he argues with Delphi The subject of archery was not discussed after council members spoke.
The Council has the largest members of the Ministry of the Environment, its subordinate institutions and the hunting community. There are the fewest representatives of naturalistic and non-governmental organizations that are in favor of preserving the environment.

Delphi He received correspondence between the members of the Council and became familiar with the letters addressed to the President of the Council and to the Deputy Minister for the Environment R. Vaitkevičiūtė. She is also a hunter.

Environmental NGOs made a lot of suggestions and adjustments that they wanted to appear in the hunting rules.

However, their offers often upset hunters’ representatives on the council.

“The staff of the Ministry of the Environment sent us other proposals, but there was no response on how to coordinate with all those interested. And we remain silent on all our questions about it, “the correspondents said.

Delphi I received copies of the correspondence from April 9 of this year. They show that the non-governmental governments that submitted their proposals have been awakened by hunters from the hunters’ organization. They were leaked in a public letter to the Ministry of the Environment and Vice Minister R. Vaitkevičiūtė.

“We have received offensive reactions from hunter representatives. Although this is an official correspondence with the Hunting Advisory Council, which includes officials from state institutions, there was no reaction from the council president, Deputy Minister R. Vaitkevičiūtė, and they did not stop. the insults, “said the public figures who participated in the correspondence.

We present a letter from the Hunters Association to the Vice Minister, the language is not corrected:

“Dear. Vice Minister,

We would like to inform you why we do not intend to negotiate or discuss with the so-called “Environmental Coalition” about the Hunting Rules, because:

1. We know the members of this coalition for their dirty work. When they blackmailed a farmer from one of our hunting area units to buy fences from wolves. We registered sheep slaughtered by wolves on the VSTT website. Nobody helps.

2. In our opinion, blackmailers, terrorists or corrupt individuals are not normally negotiated. “

Board member Vaidas Balys, representative of the non-governmental organization Baltijos Vilkas Delphi He declared this as a great disrespect.

“As musicality and lack of respect for oneself, others, the process and democratic institutions. I didn’t hear any reaction from the Vice Minister, “he said.

After another hearing, V. Balys said that neither the Ministry nor the Vice Minister had reacted to those hunters’ words so far.

“No. She did not respond in any way to that correspondence. Or the official letter from the hunters,” said V. Balys.