From: Maria Lopes
To: International Movement Against Bullfights
Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2008


Bullfighting exhibition to be held in European Parliament in June 4th
21 February 2008, 20:17 CET

(MADRID) - A bullfighting exhibition will be held at the European Parliament in June in Brussels in an effort to persuade lawmakers that the activity is acceptable, the Spanish organisers said Thursday.
The exhibit, called "between man and bull", will be staged for two days at the headquarters of the assembly beginning on June 4, said representatives of the main body which represents Spain's bullfighting sector, the Mesa del Toro.
The secretary general of the body, Eduardo Martin-Penato, said the event would be a "unique opportunity" to show the merits of bullfighting, which are traditionally held in Spain, Portugal and France, to those who are opposed.
Last year several European Parliament lawmakers published a declaration which severely criticised bullfights and demanded that the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, ban them in Europe.
The Mesa del Toro responded at the time that bullfighting was a "European heritage" and that the European Commission did not have the authority to ban a "cultural and traditional" activity which has been held for centuries in Spain.
The debate over bullfighting, which its detractors consider to be animal abuse, has increased in recent years.
The main opposition conservative Popular Party has included the defence of bullfighting in its platform for a March 9 general election.
It is the first time since Spain returned to democracy following the death of right-wing dictator Francisco Franco in 1975 that one of the country's two main parties has taken such a move.
In another first, a small anti-bullfighting party will field candidates in virtually all electoral districts.