Slovak President Peter Pellegrini (formerly of Hlas-SD) has announced a national referendum with two questions to be held on July 4, focusing on abolishing the so-called lifetime pension for certain constitutional officials and restoring the Special Prosecutor’s Office and the National Criminal Agency. A proposed third question on shortening the parliamentary term was excluded because the president said it conflicts with the constitution. He explained that his role was to verify the petition’s validity and constitutional compliance, noting that more than 363,000 signatures were deemed valid—enough to call the referendum.
Voters will be asked whether they agree to abolish the lifetime pension and whether they support restoring the Special Prosecutor’s Office and the National Criminal Agency. Pellegrini said the legal team concluded that shortening the parliamentary term through a referendum is not allowed under the current constitution. He pointed to a 2021 ruling by the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic, which determined that a referendum cannot shorten an ongoing parliamentary term, adding that there was no need to consult the court again on the same issue.
The president emphasized that his decision was based on legal expertise rather than political considerations. He said he would respect any future constitutional change allowing citizens to decide on shortening a parliamentary term, adding that “if the people give power, they should have the possibility to take it away from politicians.” He also noted that the referendum date was set to allow enough time for voters to register for postal voting. The referendum was initiated by the non-parliamentary party Demokrati.
The Slovak government stated it respects the president’s decision, but opposition parties reacted differently. Michal Šimečka of Progressive Slovakia accused Pellegrini of acting as a representative of the governing coalition rather than as president for all citizens. Igor Matovič from Hnutie Slovensko expressed doubts that the referendum would succeed, while Viliam Karas of Christian Democratic Movement said the decision was not surprising and argued that the remaining questions reflect standard political programs rather than issues requiring a costly referendum.
Other opposition figures criticized the timing and scope of the vote. Veronika Remišová of Za ľudí warned that holding the referendum at the start of summer holidays could reduce turnout and suggested the funds could be used more effectively elsewhere. Meanwhile, Karas reiterated support for abolishing the lifetime pension and strengthening anti-corruption efforts but questioned the need for a referendum to achieve these goals.
The Demokrati party has announced it will challenge the exclusion of the early-elections question at the Constitutional Court. Party leader Jaroslav Naď argued that the president undermined citizens’ ability to express their views and called the decision a dangerous precedent. The party maintains that the remaining questions are still meaningful and intends to pursue legal action over the rejected proposal.
Source: TASR
