Almost 45,000 signatures for referendum to ban spring hunting

44,376 signatures have been submitted to petition for an abrogative referendum on spring hunting, the Coalition Against Spring Hunting announced today.

The petitions, which have to be now validated by the Electoral Commission, should satisfy the 10% of registered voters on the electoral register.

Of the signatures, 40,351 are already registered on the electoral roll. The 10% threshold would be 33,418.

The campaigners said that the shooting of eagles in October 2013 had boosted their campaign after starting in July.

The Electoral Commission now has 15 days to verify the signatures and present a request to the Constitutional Court to request a referendum.

In the forthcoming three months, objections can be filed in court.

The first 10 signatories can file a reply to the objections and the court can then proceed with its judgement. If the court upholds the request for a referendum, it must be held within not less than three months, and by not more than six months.

This would be the first abrogative referendum Malta.

If the referendum fails, another referendum on the same subject cannot be held before the lapse of two years.