Draft Law on Hunting/ Shkodra Hunters Association: We are being left out of the game

2025-08-15 15:05:00, Qyteti im CNA

Draft Law on Hunting/ Shkodra Hunters Association: We are being left out of the

The new hunting draft law is expected to be approved by the Parliament at the end of September, but until then the Hunters' Federation will hold another meeting to discuss some points they disagree on in the draft law. Zyhdi Mustafa, president of the hunters' association in Shkodra, says they have not agreed that hunting forest areas should be taken over by individuals or associations for business because it will turn into commerce, putting hunters out of the game.

"At the end of September, as soon as the new Parliament convenes, the new hunting law is expected to be passed. The opening date of the hunting season is expected to be October 1, although it has always been August 15. However, I believe that before the law is approved, we as the hunting federation will have another meeting with representatives of the Parliament and the Ministry and environmental associations to discuss some points on which we still do not agree. In previous meetings, some of the points we have requested have been taken into account while some others have not. We hope that in this last meeting we will manage to fulfill those requests that we have, so that they can be changed according to what is best and what hunters throughout the country are looking for. The points on which we do not agree are that hunting areas should not be given to private individuals or businesses because then hunting turns into a trade. Hunting is not a trade but a passion and such a thing then puts hunters out of the game and we will "We strongly demand that this be changed. We do not agree that hunting should be auctioned as the new draft law provides and I believe that we will also change these points. If the new law is postponed and not approved, then hunting will open on October 1, we believe as we were promised and we will act with the old law until the new law is approved. The 10-year moratorium that banned hunting has brought great damage, despite the institutions trying to say the opposite", said Mustafa.

Draft Law on Hunting/ Shkodra Hunters Association: We are being left out of the

The association's secretary, Xhabir Mehmeti, says that the delays in opening the hunting season this year are due to the government's negligence, postponing it to October 1. Mehmeti says that currently in Shkodra, out of 12,000 hunting guns, 5,000 are unlicensed and can be abused, while the other 5,000 have expired.

"These delays in opening the hunting season and changing the date sometimes to August 15, sometimes to September 1 and now to October 1 are all due to the negligence of the Ministry. Regarding the 10-year moratorium that banned hunting, which was finally lifted, I want to say that it has had a negative impact and groups of illegal hunters have been created who have caused great damage. Hunting has always opened on August 15, now it has been postponed to October 1. The police should also have a responsibility for illegal hunters. Currently, there are 12 thousand hunting weapons in Shkodra, of which 5 thousand are without a permit and another 5 thousand have expired. These illegal weapons can be misused and if the police catch you, you can be arrested for illegal possession of weapons," said Mehmeti.

A few years ago, the Shkodra Hunters' Association had 900 members, while today this association has ended with 30 members, leaving room for illegal hunting. The hunters' association and federation claim that illegal hunting has flourished during the 10-year moratorium that banned hunting throughout the country, while they are awaiting the approval of the new draft law in September to give the green light to regular hunting./CNA