The hunters’ lobby petition to try to block the spring hunting referendum will be presented to parliamentarians early next month, Times of Malta has learnt.

Hunters’ federation president Joe Perici Calascione told this newspaper it was in the final stages of analysing the signatures it has been collecting since last December.

“We are close to finalising the analysis of the petition and will be presenting the finished product early next month,” he said.

Asked how many signatures the federation had collected, Mr Perici Calascione said the final figure had not yet been established.

We have different statisticians analysing figures

“We have different statisticians analysing the figures and want to have all their input before releasing any final figure,” hesaid, declining to give an app-roximate indication of the number collected.

Last month, this newspaper revealed that minors as young as 14 were among the hunters’ signatories. The signatures were prompted by another petition launched by the Coalition Against Spring Hunting aimed at forcing an abrogative referendum on Malta’s spring hunting season.

The coalition claims to have collected 7,000 signatures more than the 33,000 required to force a national referendum, which are currently being analysed by the electoral commission for anomalies.

The FKNK, however, is hoping to lobby parliament to alter the referendum law as to “protect the rights, interests, and privileges for all minorities”.

Speaking last month, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said he could not stop a referendum, though he pointed out he was personally in favour of a spring hunting season.