A referendum is being held in Slovakia on the abolition of lifetime pensions and the reinstatement of anti-corruption agencies
On Saturday, July 4, a nationwide referendum began in Slovakia, in which citizens are voting on whether to abolish lifetime pensions for certain high-ranking officials and to reinstate the Special Prosecutor’s Office and the National Agency for Combating Crime (NAKA).
Voters were asked to answer two questions:
- Do they support the abolition of so-called lifetime pensions, specifically for Prime Minister Robert Fico, as provided for by current legislation?
- Do they agree with the reinstatement of the Special Prosecutor’s Office and the National Agency for Combating Crime (NAKA)?
Polling stations opened at 7:00 a.m. and will remain open until 10:00 p.m. local time.
According to the law, the referendum will be considered valid only if more than 50% of eligible voters participate. An absolute majority of votes cast is also required for each decision to be adopted.
The vote was initiated by the extra-parliamentary party “Democrats,” which submitted a petition to that effect. Initially, it contained three questions, including a proposal to prematurely terminate the powers of the current parliament and Robert Fico’s government.
However, Peter Pellegrini refused to include this question on the ballot, explaining that such a proposal contradicts the Slovak Constitution.
After returning to power in 2023, Robert Fico’s government dismantled a number of anti-corruption institutions. In particular, the Special Prosecutor’s Office, which investigated high-profile corruption cases, was abolished, and the National Agency for Combating Crime (NAKA), which specialized in combating organized crime, was disbanded.
The vote was announced by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, according to Aktuality.
As a reminder, the “Diya” app is inviting Ukrainians to participate in a vote to select the design of a new postage stamp in honor of Ukraine’s Independence Day.
