Bratislava – On Monday, representatives of the extra-parliamentary party Slovak Movement for Renewal (SHO) presented a petition to the Office of the President of the Slovak Republic, calling for a referendum on whether Slovak representatives should oppose sanctions against the Russian Federation in Brussels. The petition garnered nearly 400,000 signatures, according to TASR.
The president’s communication department responded, stating, “The Office of the President of the Slovak Republic will process the petition sheets in accordance with the law.”
The petition organizers are urging President Peter Pellegrini to hold a referendum with the question: “Do you agree that the Slovak Republic should refrain from imposing sanctions against the Russian Federation that adversely affect Slovak citizens, entrepreneurs, and business owners?”
Róbert Švec, the SHO leader, emphasized that if the Slovak government had been consistent in its actions in Brussels, there would have been no need for this petition. He accused government representatives of voting contrary to their statements made at home in Slovakia.
If validated, the referendum would serve as a strong mandate for the Slovak government to advocate in Brussels against sanctions and to vote against them. While the referendum itself cannot dictate specific actions to the prime minister, Švec insists that the prime minister cannot disregard the public’s will. The initiative aims to influence negotiations in Brussels, asserting that sanctions against Russia result in significant economic losses for Slovakia, estimated in the billions of euros.
Švec expressed his expectation that the president would approve the referendum, citing Pellegrini’s previous stance, before assuming the presidency, that sanctions against Russia were detrimental to the country. He noted that the initiative has the backing of coalition leader Andrej Danko and MEP Milan Uhrík, who leads the extra-parliamentary Republic party.
According to the Slovak Constitution, a referendum must be declared by the president if at least 350,000 citizens request it via petition. The president is required to make a declaration within 30 days of receiving the petition. Before doing so, the president may refer the matter to the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic to determine its compliance with constitutional law. For the referendum results to be valid, participation must exceed half of the eligible voters, and a majority of those who participate must agree on the decision. (May 5)
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