A referendum on the stopping of sanctions against Russia cannot be declared, the President said

BRATISLAVA. Referendum on sanctions against Russia cannot be declared. President Peter Pellegrini He informed about this at a press conference.

« The Constitution of the Slovak Republic imposes a liability for the constitutionality and legality of the referendum’s constitutionality and legality, but if the president finds that one of the prescribed constitutional and legal conditions for the referendum has not been met, it cannot be declared and this is also an example of the petition I have assessed in recent weeks.

He sees three uncertainties

In the required question « Do you agree that the Slovak Republic does not apply sanctions against the Russian Federation, which are harmful to Slovak citizens, sole traders and entrepreneurs? » He sees three uncertainties.

According to Pellegrini, it is not clear what is meant by the Slovak Republic, whether they are state authorities, business sector, municipalities, regions or citizen. It claims that the formulation of this part of the question does not give a sufficient answer to who is or is not a executing entity and thus does not correspond to the Constitution.

Another uncertainty is the combination of the « sanction against the Russian Federation ». The President does not know whether these are Russian state authorities or its citizens. It is also not clear how to deal with sanctions against persons and companies from third countries that have found themselves on sanction lists for their support for Russia, but are not subject to its powers. Therefore, this connection, according to the head of state, also violates the article of the Constitution.

The third part of the question unclearly states who and on the basis of which it can clearly determine which sanctions are harmful to Slovak citizens, sole traders and entrepreneurs and which body and by which law it should assess it. « Since there is no standard that could assess the harmfulness of sanctions, such a law would be simply unenforceable, » Pellegrini said.

He added that the question does not follow whether it should be a decision only for the future, or it should also apply to the current sanctions for which Slovakia has already voted 17 times.

According to Pellegrini, the result of any proposal for the referendum to declare a legal standard, which will clearly modify a certain range of social relations.

« It must therefore be formulated to be clear, certain and predictable. It must be unambiguous so that his or her relevant addressees cannot interpret arbitrarily.

Turned to several state authorities

During his decision -making, the President also addressed several state authorities, which would be responsible for its implementation in the event of a referendum and his successful result.

He noted that there were serious doubts about the responses of the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Foreign Affairs as to whether the possible result of the referendum would be enforceable.

At the same time, Pellegrini explained that sanctions against Russia and citizens or companies that support aggression to Ukraineare accepted by the European Union. They are unanimously approved by all Member States and are repeatedly approved every six months. Slovakia is represented by the Prime Minister on Summities Robert Fico (Direction).

« I also commemorate the public opinion of the Office of the Government of the Slovak Republic on a petition with the same topic a few weeks ago that the SR does not vote for measures that would be contrary to its interests, security or sovereignty, » said the President.

Once sanctions are unanimously approved, they become part of the European and Slovak law. Violation of standards is sanctioned and will be criminal in Slovakia from 1 August, the head of state said. « If Slovakia had decided to refuse sanctions against the Russian Federation once in a referendum, it would also be decided to refuse what he voted for through its Prime Minister on European soil, » he said.

The referendum was initiated by the non -parliamentary Slovak Movement of Revival.

It asked to declare a referendum with the question: « Do you agree that the Slovak Republic does not apply sanctions against the Russian Federation, which are harmful to Slovak citizens, sole traders and entrepreneurs? » The referendum wanted to put pressure on the government of the Slovak Government in Brussels. They claim that sanctions against Russia are harmful to Slovakia in the form of major economic losses.

The referendum is announced by the President of the Slovak Republic if at least 350,000 citizens ask for a petition.

The Constitution says that the results of the referendum are valid if an absolute majority of eligible voters participates in it and if the decision is taken by an absolute majority of the referendum participants.