Slovenia to hold referendum on parliamentary inquiry law

Slovenia is heading for a referendum on a contentious amendment to the parliamentary inquiry law, as organizers announced they have successfully gathered over 40,000 signatures. This number meets the requirement to trigger a legislative referendum, meaning citizens will decide the law's fate in the autumn.

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At the referendum, we will decide whether we want to grant politicians almost unlimited powers to interfere in the civil sphere and individual privacy, or whether we will preserve the safeguards that prevent political abuses of power.

The amendment, pushed by the new coalition government, is viewed by its opponents as a significant threat to civil liberties. They argue it would dismantle a crucial safeguard against the political misuse of parliamentary investigative powers. Specifically, the changes would prevent individuals from challenging the legality of an inquiry in the Constitutional Court before it begins. Critics warn this would give politicians unchecked authority to launch investigations against virtually anyone, at any time, without prior judicial review.

Furthermore, the proposed amendment would allow parliamentary investigative committees to access private communications, text messages, phone records, and bank accounts of individuals who have no connection to politics and are not suspected of any wrongdoing. This invasive power could extend to the family members, partners, and friends of targeted individuals, raising serious privacy concerns.

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One path is finished, another begins. We have achieved a referendum on a harmful law; now we must win it and prevent the harmful parliamentary inquiry law from taking effect.

"At the referendum, we will decide whether we want to grant politicians almost unlimited powers to interfere in the civil sphere and individual privacy, or whether we will preserve the safeguards that prevent political abuses of power," stated the referendum organizers in a press release. The group includes prominent former members of the Committee for the Protection of Human Rights, such as Spomenka Hribar and Pavel Gantar. Hribar emphasized the urgent need to protect fundamental rights from governmental overreach, while Gantar highlighted the success in reaching the signature threshold, calling it an exceptional achievement given the short timeframe and unfavorable period.

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Much work and sacrifice will be needed for all of us together to recognize the true dilemma in modern Slovenian society: will we, the people, control the government, or will it control us?

Pavel Gantar added that the fight is far from over. "One path is finished, another begins. We have achieved a referendum on a harmful law; now we must win it and prevent the harmful parliamentary inquiry law from taking effect. Much work and sacrifice will be needed for all of us together to recognize the true dilemma in modern Slovenian society: will we, the people, control the government, or will it control us?" he urged.

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Thanks to all who have shown their civic confidence and co-responsibility for political and social life in our country with their signatures.