By Alex Mita
THE ‘FRIENDS of the Ambelopoulia’ Association yesterday called for the immediate resignation of Game Service Director Pantelis Hadjiyerou, after Wednesday night’s surprise raids in restaurants in Larnaca that resulted in the seizure of nearly 5,000 birds.
The president of the Larnaca District Friends of the Ambelopoulia told CyBC the behaviour of the Game Wardens was unacceptable.
“We have called for the resignation of Pantelis Hadjiyerou because his wardens’ behaviour was not becoming,” he said.
“They could have raided the restaurants when there weren’t any customers there. Instead, they stormed the place and took the food out of people’s plates.
“The birds are stored in refrigerators and they knew that so they could have come any other time before the restaurants were full of people.”
But Hadjiyerou said his men reacted well within the law, adding that if the wardens had raided the place earlier it wouldn’t have made any difference.
“I don’t think it would make much difference what time the Game Service raided the restaurants,” he said.
“Whatever time we went we would have found exactly the same thing.”
Hadjiyerou was furious when asked by CyBC radio why Game Service Wardens were carrying handguns when they raided the restaurants, saying the wardens should be congratulated instead of reprimanded.
“The issue is not whether they were carrying handguns,” he said.
“Are we trying to find ways to accuse these people who did their work exceptionally well by seizing 5,000 birds? Is this what your are trying to do?
“People don’t understand that by catching these birds and selling them in restaurants they are shaming their country. We should be thanking the wardens for risking their lives day by day to uphold the law. My men receive threats to their lives on a daily basis,” Hadjiyerou said.
Interior Minister Andreas Panayiotou yesterday jumped to Hadjiyerou’s defence, saying the Game Service director was a dedicated man.
“Mr Hadjiyerou is one of the most highly regarded scientists of the Game Service and his only flaw is that during his career he followed the law to the letter,” he said.
“There is no chance that Hadjiyerou will be asked to resign.”
Asked whether Game Service wardens were breaking the law by raiding the restaurants in uniform, Panayiotou said the wardens had every right to carry out an investigation.
“The law states that any member of the police force can enter any premises without a warrant, should he suspect that he would find illegally trapped prey.”
