2021 Slovenian Waters Act referendum

In March 2021, the National Assembly passed the Waters Act, despite strong criticism from the experts and civil society.{{Cite web|title=V DZ vložena zahteva za referendum o zakonu o vodah – zbranih skoraj 50 tisoč podpisov|url=https://www.rtvslo.si/slovenija/v-dz-vlozena-zahteva-za-referendum-o-zakonu-o-vodah-zbranih-skoraj-50-tisoc-podpisov/580749|access-date=2021-07-11|website=RTVSLO.si|language=sl}} While Slovenia’s Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning claimed that the provisions of the Waters Act prohibited the construction of industrial facilities and private buildings on the banks of rivers and lakes, environmental activists instead argued that the changes to the 37th paragraph would loosen the rules and allow construction of hotels and malls in coastal areas and on river and lake banks, polluting the sources of drinking water.

Per article 90 of the Constitution, 40,000 voters can require the National Assembly to call for a referendum to reject a law that was ratified by the Assembly. The law is rejected if a majority of voters who have cast valid votes vote against the law, provided at least one fifth of all qualified voters have voted against the law.{{cite web |url=http://www.us-rs.si/media/constitution.-.2016.-.precisceni.dokument.dodan.70a.clen.pdf |title=Constitution of Slovenia|publisher= Constitutional Court|accessdate=11 July 2021}} A minimum of 20% of the voters (around 343,000 voters of about 1.7 million registered voters) are required to cast a valid "no" vote for a negative result of the referendum to be valid.

Following amendments to the Water Act, environmental organisations collected 52,230 signatures calling for a referendum, exceeding the 40,000 signatures required to force a referendum on the law. The referendum was scheduled to take place on 11 July 2021.[https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/slovenia-to-hold-first-referendum-in-nearly-four-years/ Slovenia to hold first referendum in nearly four years] Euractiv, 26 May 2021{{cite web|title=Referendum on changes to water act to be held on 11 July|url=https://sloveniatimes.com/referendum-on-changes-to-water-act-to-be-held-on-11-july/|date=25 May 2021|website=Slovenia Times|access-date=1 June 2021}}.

In the referendum campaign, both sides claimed that they want to protect clean water. Andrej Vizjak, the Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning, argued that the law prohibits construction of factories and private houses on the shore, a provision already contained in the existing law. The new law would also improve flood management and prevention. This position was supported by the government parties, Slovenian Democratic Party, New Slovenia, and Modern Centre Party. On the other hand, the environmental and civil society groups joined together in a "Movement for Drinkable Water" warned of several legal loopholes that would actually allow construction of facilities on the shores, including restaurants and hotels, and could prevent access to the shore to the general public, increase flood risks and damage the water supply. Opponents to the law included experts in water management, opposition political parties, as well as research organizations, the Faculty of Civil Engineering of University of Ljubljana, and the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.delo.si/novice/okolje/referendum-za-vodo-ali-njeno-urejanje/|title=Referendum za vodo ali njeno urejanje|website=www.delo.si|access-date=13 July 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvslo.si/okolje/referendum-2021/soocenje-zagovornikov-in-nasprotnikov-sprememb-zakona-o-vodah/586933|title=Soočenje zagovornikov in nasprotnikov sprememb zakona o vodah|website=RTVSLO.si|access-date=2021-07-11}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvslo.si/okolje/referendum-2021/zagovorniki-in-nasprotniki-novele-zakona-o-vodah-tudi-pri-predsedniku-trdno-na-svojih-bregovih/585992|title=Zagovorniki in nasprotniki novele zakona o vodah tudi pri predsedniku trdno na svojih bregovih|website=RTVSLO.si|access-date=2021-07-11}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.fgg.uni-lj.si/stalisce-fakultete-za-gradbenistvo-in-geodezijo-v-zvezi-z-novelo-zakona-o-vodah/|title=Stališče Fakultete za gradbeništvo in geodezijo v zvezi z novelo Zakona o vodah|date=March 27, 2021|website=Fakulteta za gradbeništvo in geodezijo, Univerza v Ljubljani|access-date=13 July 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvslo.si/okolje/referendum-2021/sazu-v-casu-ko-pritisk-na-prostor-narasca-so-posegi-na-vodna-zemljisca-nesprejemljivi/586303|title=SAZU: V času, ko pritisk na prostor narašča, so posegi na vodna zemljišča nesprejemljivi|website=RTVSLO.si|access-date=13 July 2021}} The opponents of the law claimed that the pamphlet which the government parties sent to the citizens was full of inaccuracies and was aimed at confusing people.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvslo.si/okolje/referendum-2021/gibanje-za-pitno-vodo-letaki-ki-jih-je-razposlala-koalicija-so-polni-lazi/586428|title=Gibanje za pitno vodo: Letaki, ki jih je razposlala koalicija, so polni laži|website=RTVSLO.si|access-date=13 July 2021}} The ombudsman warned that the law was passed too fast and without involvement of experts, which prevented the public from getting involved in drafting the law.

Early voting began on 6 July. Over 54 000 people (3.21%) cast early votes, with long queues being reported in front of voting stations.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvslo.si/okolje/referendum-2021/predcasno-glasovanje-direktor-dvk-ja-ob-zapletih-in-gneci-poziva-k-potrpezljivosti/586724|title=Predčasno glasovanje: Direktor DVK-ja ob zapletih in gneči poziva k potrpežljivosti|website=RTVSLO.si|access-date=13 July 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvslo.si/okolje/referendum-2021/predcasno-je-glas-na-referendumu-oddalo-54-456-volivcev/586982|title=Predčasno je glas na referendumu oddalo 54.456 volivcev|website=RTVSLO.si|access-date=13 July 2021}} Civil initiatives warned of several problems in the voting process. The portal for electronic voter registration was often unavailable and several voters living abroad reported they did not receive their ballots by mail or the ballots contained errors or were even empty.{{Cite web|url=https://www.delo.si/novice/slovenija/novi-zapleti-ob-glasovanju/|title=Zapleti tudi pri glasovanju iz tujine|website=www.delo.si|access-date=13 July 2021}} The elderly living at retirement homes complained they received instructions for voting by mail only hours before the deadline. Because of that, the union of taxi drivers offered the elderly free transport to voting stations in Ljubljana, Maribor, and Koper.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvslo.si/okolje/referendum-2021/taksisti-bodo-v-nedeljo-stanovalce-iz-domov-za-starejse-brezplacno-vozili-na-volisca/586906|title=Taksisti bodo v nedeljo stanovalce iz domov za starejše brezplačno vozili na volišča|website=RTVSLO.si|access-date=13 July 2021}}

The voter turnout was above 46% and the Waters Act was overwhelmingly rejected with over 86% of people voting against it. This was the second highest turnout for a referendum to repeal a law, only behind the 2007 privatisation referendum, at 58%, that was held together with the runoff of the presidential election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mladina.si/209020/referendumska-udelezba-druga-najvisja-doslej/|title=Referendumska udeležba druga najvišja doslej|website=Mladina.si|access-date=13 July 2021}}

In the reactions after the announcement of the results, Igor Zorčič, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Slovenia, stated that the outcome showed that the public did not support either the law or Janša's cabinet in general. Tanja Fajon, the leader of the opposition Social Democrats stated that they were seriously considering another vote of no confidence in the Assembly.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvslo.si/slovenija/zorcic-izid-referenduma-nezaupnica-vladi-krivec-izid-ne-bo-vplival-na-delo-vlade/587452|title=Zorčič: Izid referenduma nezaupnica vladi; Krivec: Izid ne bo vplival na delo vlade|website=RTVSLO.si|access-date=13 July 2021}} In his reaction, Vizjak told public broadcaster TV Slovenia that the referendum was misused and the government's goals misinterpreted, as well as that the vote against the Waters Act was also a vote against the government,{{Cite web|url=https://novice.svet24.si/clanek/novice/slovenija/60eb2c402347d/minister-vizjak-vsak-glas-proti-zakonu-je-glas-proti-vladi-janeza-janse|title=Minister Vizjak: "Vsak glas proti zakonu je glas proti vladi Janeza Janše" – Svet24.si|website=Vsa resnica na enem mestu – Svet24.si|access-date=13 July 2021}} but the position of the Slovenian Democratic Party was that he did need to resign. The other two government parties did not comment on the results immediately.{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/slovenia-water-law-referendum-test-government-78779005|title=Slovenian voters reject changing water protection law|website=ABC News|access-date=13 July 2021}} Nika Kovač from the Institute 8 March group that campaigned against the changes stated that "It has been shown that Slovenia is home to compassionate and tolerant people who help each other and fight for the public good and for nature". Political analyst Andraž Zorko interpreted the results as an expression of public dissatisfaction with the government and claimed that the government now lacks legitimacy. A high voter turnout was also viewed as the result of involvement of younger voters as the Waters Act addressed several environmental issues.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mladina.si/209012/rezultat-referenduma-je-ljudska-nezaupnica-jansevi-vladi/|title=Rezultat referenduma je ljudska nezaupnica Janševi vladi|website=Mladina.si|access-date=13 July 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.delo.si/mnenja/komentarji/politicno-prebujenje-mladih/|title=Politično prebujenje mladih|website=www.delo.si|access-date=13 July 2021}}

{{Referendum results

|for=104312

|against=682760

|invalid=1896

|electorate=1698642

|source=[https://web.archive.org/web/20220820173854/https://volitve.dvk-rs.si/en/#/rezultati Volitve]

}}

{{reflist|2}}

• [https://sloveniatimes.com/committee-passes-controversial-water-act-amendments/ Committee passes controversial water act amendments (10 March 2021)]
• [https://sloveniatimes.com/mps-pass-amended-water-act/ MPs pass amended water act (31 March 2021)]

{{Slovenian elections}}

Slovenia

Category:2021 in Slovenia

Category:Referendums in Slovenia

Category:July 2021 in Slovenia