BRATISLAVA, September 19, (WEBNOVINY) – Saturday’s nationwide referendum was not valid, confirmed the Central Commission for the Referendum of the Slovak Republic on Sunday. According to official results, which the Central Commission presented at a news conference held in the Parliament, the overall turnout was 22.84 percent. Of the 4,369,553 registered eligible voters, 998,142 people voted in the referendum. The number of cast ballots reached 997,235, with 990,535 valid and 6,700 not valid. The plebiscite would be valid if more than a half of all registered eligible voters participated in it.
On Saturday, September 18, Slovakia’s citizens were asked to answer questions regarding the cancellation of concessionaire fees paid to public service media, restriction of deputy immunity from prosecution, introduction of a cap on government limousines of EUR 40,000, introduction of on-line voting, a change to the Election Act to downsize the number of members of parliament from 150 to 100 as of the next election term and adoption of a law to exclude persons exercising executive power in the government from the right of reply according to the Press Act.
The referendum had been initiated by the SaS party during the previous election term. Polling rooms were open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., while the referendum was not marked by any incidents. Voters expressed the strongest consent with the question regarding curbing deputy immunity from prosecution. On the contrary, the question regarding introduction of electronic elections received the highest number of negative responses. The costs of the referendum were EUR 7.224 million.
Since the origin of an independent Slovakia in 1993, seven plebiscites have been held, while only one, regarding Slovakia’s entry to the EU was successful.
SITA
