Slovakian party petitions for referendum on EU membership

Slovakian party petitions for referendum on EU membership

The chairman of Slovakia’s far right Ludova strana Nase Slovensko (People’s Party Our Slovakia) said in a video statement published on the party’s website Friday (June 24) that he welcomed Britain’s referendum result opting to leave the European Union.

“The referendum in Britain showed that the demand of the nation and political groups requesting the country leaves the EU is not un-democratic or even extremist and fascist. The referendum showed that it is an absolutely legitimate request, an absolutely legitimate political aim which is worth fighting for,” said Marian Kotleba.

The district governor of Banska Bystrica also said that signatures for the petition will be collected from Monday (June 27) and urged citizens, unions, activists and political parties to support the “fight for the freedom of our nation and country”.

Slovak law requires a petition to receive 350,000 signatures from the country of 5.4 million for a referendum to be held.

The results of a referendum are legally binding if the turnout exceeds 50 percent of all eligible voters.

The only referendum that has been successful in Slovakia was the 2003 vote on its EU membership with a 52 percent turnout and 92.5 percent in favour of joining the bloc.

According to a Focus opinion poll released last week, 62.1 percent of Slovakia’s voters would choose in a referendum to remain in the EU while 22.6 percent would vote leave.

In Slovakia, which takes over the European Union’s rotating six-month presidency in July, the anti-immigration, anti-euro People’s Party-Our Slovakia shocked many in a March election when it won 8 percent of the vote, or almost 210,000 votes, to enter parliament for the first time.

Tags:

Slovakian

Want to send us a story? Submit on Wananchi Reporting on the Citizen Digital App or Send an email to wananchi@royalmedia.co.ke or Send an SMS to 25170 or WhatsApp on 0743570000

Leave a Comment

Comments

No comments yet.

latest stories