Steve Micklewright, left, and Christian Debono take the signatures to the Electoral Commission on Friday. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

The collection of over 44,000 signatures calling for a referendum to stop spring hunting was a clear message that people could make change happen, Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Arnold Cassola said.

“The countdown towards the referendum has started,” he said, adding that this was a historic event that would hopefully mean the end of the hunting of birds in spring – a time when they migrated to breed.

On Friday, the Coalition for the Abolition of Spring Hunting, made up of 13 organisations that include AD, presented a 44,376-signature petition to the Electoral Commission.

It will now be vetting the signatures to ensure they make up 10 per cent of eligible voters, the amount needed to call an abrogative referendum.

The countdown towards the referendum has started

The commission will then submit the petition to the Constitutional Court that will start off a process that will include a three-month window for objections, before deciding on whether the referendum will go ahead.

The petition calls for an abrogative referendum to abolish the law that allows spring hunting to take place in Malta.

Christian Debono, representing the coalition, said the Maltese public sent out a clear message that it wanted to enjoy the countryside and the birds during spring. The public had had enough of the “destructive privilege” given to Maltese hunters.

He stressed that the referendum was against spring hunting and not hunting in general and this was because hunting at this time of the year was unsustainable.

Carmel Cacopardo, deputy AD chairman, said that in the past the two parties had reached agreements with hunters and now the time had come for them to be held accountable.

“I hope this will be the last time we see spring hunting in Malta and that, after this spring, spring hunting is relegated to the dustbin of history,” he said.

The coalition is made up of AD, Birdlife Malta, the Coalition for Animal Rights, Din L-Art Ħelwa, Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Gaia Foundation, Greenhouse Malta, International Animal Rescue Malta, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement, Moviment Graffiti, Nature Trust and Ramblers Association of Malta.