President:Sad that Referendum Initiators Seek Blame Everywhere but in Themselves

Bratislava, 5 July (TASR) - It is sad that the initiators of the referendum, instead of admitting their failure, are looking for blame everywhere, except in themselves, President Peter Pellegrini told TASR on Sunday in response to the outcome of Saturday's (4 July) referendum, adding that he had to call the referendum in line with the Slovak Constitution and applicable laws. "I will always respect the constitutional right of the citizens of Slovakia to request the calling of a referendum and to participate in such a referendum. Out of respect for this right and for referendums, I took part in it as well, although as a citizen, politician and a human being I have my own and clear opinion on this particular referendum," said the head of state. "As president of the Slovak Republic, I strictly adhered to the Constitution and applicable laws when calling the referendum and could not have acted otherwise. It is regrettable that the initiators of the referendum, instead of admitting their failure, are seeking blame everywhere else but within themselves," said Pellegrini. Voter turnout in Saturday's was 16.13 percent. The referendum is valid if more than 50 percent of eligible voters take part in it. In the tenth referendum in independent Slovakia's history, voters were deciding on two questions: whether to abolish the so-called lifetime annuity granted under the law to certain constitutional office holders, including, for example, Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD), and whether to restore the Special Prosecutor's Office and the National Crime Agency (NAKA). The petition for the referendum was initiated by the extra-parliamentary Democrats party. It wanted to have three questions in it, but the question concerning the demand to shorten the electoral term ultimately wasn't part of the referendum. The president didn't include this question in the referendum, as he believed that it contradicts to the Slovak Constitution. ko