The matter of mass killings of wild boars is being decided, due to the spread of African Swine Fever, which is threatening the population of pigs in Poland. The parliamentary committee on agriculture debated this matter last week.
Yesterday at a joint meeting of the Committee on Agriculture and Environmental Protection, the draft special act on facilitating the reduction of African Swine Fever was discussed, giving power to hunters from uniformed services to shoot wild boars. The Ministry of Agriculture and deputies of Law and Justice from the Committee on Agriculture explain this record with the attitude of the Polish hunting association, and as they add, the African Swine Fever threatens the production of swine in Poland.
”The matter of the fact is that the hunting association often does not reduce this population for various reasons”- says Robert Telus, Head of The Parliamentary Agriculture Committee, Law and Justice.
Dealing with boars on a massive scale raises a lot of controversy.
”Can the African Swine Fever be battled in a different way than shooting? Let the experts speak. If not, then the shooting must be carried out, but so as not to lead to the complete extinction of the species”- says Jan Filip Libicki, Senator of the Polish People’s party.
Ecological organizations and some deputies, including the Left parliamentary club, are against the shooting of wild boars.
”First of all, we must remember that since there are no biological barriers or fences for hunting, tens of thousands of swine are killed off and this is the main problem we must focus on, instead of limiting ourselves by the fact that we are not doing anything now”- says Dariusz Standerski, The Left.
According to the Minister of Agriculture, Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski, allegations are being made by the opposition towards the government because of inactivity over the last 4 years.
”I’d like to point out that in 2014 the opposition were not taking the same steps we are now and preferred to push the problem away. We are doing what we can in this matter. We have secluded the illness, which can not be said about our predecessors. In the EU we are an example of a country that was able to maintain the level of ASF. The accusations of helplessness are merely political theatre”- says Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski, Minister of Agriculture.
The Ministry of Agriculture ensures that even with a large reduction in the population of boars, it grows so fast that there is no risk of extinction of boars. The special act will require changes to the acts on forests, construction law, hunting law, the law on arms and ammunition, as well as crisis management.