The non-parliamentary party Freedom and Solidarity party (SaS) has collected the 350,000 signatures it needs to call for a referendum in Slovakia, SaS chairman Richard Sulík told the TASR newswire on January 28.
“We're ready to submit an application for calling a referendum, accompanied by a sufficient number of signatures. If President Ivan Gašparovič doesn't turn to the Constitutional Court vis-a-vis the issues that are the subject of the referendum, we'll submit the application for calling the referendum on February 17. After meeting all the Constitutional requirements, only June 12 - the date of the general election - can be taken into consideration,” wrote Sulík in his internet blog.
“The other option is for the president to turn to the Court, in which case we'll file a request (to call the referendum) in late May, so that the referendum can take place on the day of the municipal elections,” added Sulík.
If the Constitutional Court declares some of the planned referendum's six questions unconstitutional, the referendum will include the ones that are not censured by the court. The six questions concern: abolishing mandatory television and radio license fees for citizens; curbing MPs' immunity from prosecution; reducing the number of MPs from 150 to 100; setting a maximum purchase price for cars used by government officials; assistance in making internet voting in elections available; and removing public officials' right to reply as provided in the current Press Code. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
