Slovenia to call consultative referendum on NATO membership
"There are only two ways: either we remain in NATO and pay membership, or we leave the alliance – everything else is populist deceit of the citizens of Slovenia," Golob said, according to a government statement.
His referendum is expected to be formally tabled next week.
Golob's gambit comes as part of a damage control effort in response to a successful initiative by The Left party, a junior partner in his centre-left coalition, pushing for a consultative referendum on increasing defence expenditure.
In an unexpected outcome, Slovenian MPs approved The Left's proposal 46 to 42 on Friday. The referendum question will ask voters "whether they are in favour of Slovenia increasing defence spending to 3% of GDP annually in 2030, or approximately €2.1 billion".
Golob's liberal Freedom Movement party voted against the initiative, while his junior coalition partners – the Social Democrats and The Left – sided with the conservative opposition to back it, deepening rifts within the ruling bloc.
Discontent had been brewing since Slovenia signed up to higher NATO defence spending commitments at the NATO summit in The Hague on 24 June, which envisage members raising military expenditure to as much as 5% of GDP by 2035.
Slovenia is among the few countries that failed to meet NATO's previous 2% GDP spending target in 2024, although Ljubljana stated it aimed to hit it by the end of 2025.
Golob said his counter-referendum idea was intended to "dispel any doubt as to the true will of the people.'
Although consultative referenda in Slovenia are not legally binding, the opposition, led by conservative SDS chief Janez Janša, has called on Golob to link a vote of confidence in the government to the outcome of the plebiscite, which Golob has dismissed.
Janša, a close ally of Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and a staunch Trump supporter, is said to have ambitions to return to power in parliamentary elections scheduled for 2026.
(mm)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euractiv
14 hours ago
- Euractiv
Slovenia to call consultative referendum on NATO membership
Slovenia's liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob said on Friday that he intends to call a consultative referendum on the country's NATO membership, following a surprise defeat in parliament over a related measure on defence spending. "There are only two ways: either we remain in NATO and pay membership, or we leave the alliance – everything else is populist deceit of the citizens of Slovenia," Golob said, according to a government statement. His referendum is expected to be formally tabled next week. Golob's gambit comes as part of a damage control effort in response to a successful initiative by The Left party, a junior partner in his centre-left coalition, pushing for a consultative referendum on increasing defence expenditure. In an unexpected outcome, Slovenian MPs approved The Left's proposal 46 to 42 on Friday. The referendum question will ask voters "whether they are in favour of Slovenia increasing defence spending to 3% of GDP annually in 2030, or approximately €2.1 billion". Golob's liberal Freedom Movement party voted against the initiative, while his junior coalition partners – the Social Democrats and The Left – sided with the conservative opposition to back it, deepening rifts within the ruling bloc. Discontent had been brewing since Slovenia signed up to higher NATO defence spending commitments at the NATO summit in The Hague on 24 June, which envisage members raising military expenditure to as much as 5% of GDP by 2035. Slovenia is among the few countries that failed to meet NATO's previous 2% GDP spending target in 2024, although Ljubljana stated it aimed to hit it by the end of 2025. Golob said his counter-referendum idea was intended to "dispel any doubt as to the true will of the people.' Although consultative referenda in Slovenia are not legally binding, the opposition, led by conservative SDS chief Janez Janša, has called on Golob to link a vote of confidence in the government to the outcome of the plebiscite, which Golob has dismissed. Janša, a close ally of Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and a staunch Trump supporter, is said to have ambitions to return to power in parliamentary elections scheduled for 2026. (mm)
Euractiv
a day ago
- Euractiv
New blockades and new provocations in Serbia
The barricades are multiplying in Serbia, while President Aleksandar Vučić has chosen to inflame tensions further by pardoning members of his party accused of assaulting a student. For the sixth time since students launched their campaign of civil disobedience last Saturday, dozens of roadblocks were erected last night in Belgrade and other cities such as Niš and Novi Sad, before being dismantled by police. "The police are on high alert" to protect "vital points" in the Serbian capital, explained Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dačić this morning. According to the authorities, 19 people were arrested overnight. Nearly 80 people were detained the previous evening, and clashes broke out following the 28 June demonstration, during which 140,000 people marched through the streets of Belgrade demanding snap parliamentary elections. In a message posted on Instagram yesterday, Vučić urged protesters 'not to destroy' Serbia, once again implying that the protest movement was being encouraged by mysterious actors 'from outside' the country. There is little chance, however, that such appeals for calm will persuade demonstrators – especially given that the president has simultaneously pardoned four Serbian Progressive Party supporters who had been prosecuted for attacking student anti-government protesters in Novi Sad in January. Following the incident, then-Prime Minister Miloš Vučević was forced to resign and was replaced in April by Đuro Macut, a medical doctor with no prior political experience, but who retained most of his predecessor's cabinet. After a prolonged silence, European Commissioner for Enlargement, Slovenian Marta Kos, said yesterday that she was 'closely monitoring reports of excessive use of force against protesters in Serbia'. These accusations were swiftly dismissed by former Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, now speaker of the National Assembly, who responded that she knew 'what the excessive use of force looks like', posting videos of police operations in Germany, the Netherlands, and France. Students have been challenging the Serbian authorities and denouncing official corruption ever since the roof of Novi Sad's recently renovated railway station collapsed on 1 November 2024, killing 16 people. The tragedy, which followed a high-profile but rushed reconstruction project, came to symbolise broader public anger over cronyism, poor infrastructure oversight, and the perceived impunity of those in power. (aw)
Euractiv
3 days ago
- Euractiv
‘A serious setback': EU laments US decision to cut arms shipments to Ukraine
Aarhus, DENMARK – Donald Trump's decision to curtail weapons deliveries to Ukraine represents a 'serious setback' for Kyiv and for European security, EU leaders said on Thursday. Danish premier Mette Frederiksen and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged fellow policymakers to boost defence spending and military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. The comments come after Washington abruptly halted deliveries of advanced weapons systems to the war-torn nation this week, causing Kyiv to summon the US chargé d'affaires to its ministry of foreign affairs. 'If [the] US decides not to provide Ukraine with what is needed, it would be a serious setback, for Ukraine and for Europe and for NATO,' said Frederiksen, whose country took over the rotating EU Council presidency earlier this month. 'We will look into the decisions made in Washington. We hope that the transatlantic partnership, when it comes to Ukraine, will stay on. It's important for all of us. [But] if there will be any gaps, I think we will have to fill them up,' she added. Frederiksen's remarks were echoed by von der Leyen, who urged EU governments to make to use of the recently introduced €150 billion SAFE facility, which provides loans to finance joint military projects. 'Member states can take this money [from SAFE] and either buy military equipment and give it to Ukraine, or they can take this money and invest it in the extremely efficient Ukrainian defence industry,' von der Leyen said. "Our European family" Both leaders also said European security would be bolstered by the EU's defence 'omnibus' package, which aims to boost military investments by slashing regulations for defence companies and financial institutions across the bloc. They also said that the EU should accelerate efforts to pass its 18th sanctions package against Moscow, which is currently being blocked by Slovakia and Hungary over concerns about a potential loss of access to cheap Russian energy. Both also reiterated their call for Ukraine to be admitted to the EU – a move which is also currently being vetoed by Hungary. Frederiksen alluded to the symbolism of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine's president, also being in Aarhus on Thursday. 'Ukraine is part of our European family, and it is very important for us that President Zelensky has been able to join us here today in Aarhus,' she said. 'Our European family would not be complete without his presence.' Trump posted on Thursday that he would also speak with Vladimir Putin at 16:00 CEST. The Financial Times also reported on Thursday that Trump and Zelenskyy will hold a call tomorrow to discuss the US decision and potential future weapons shipments to Kyiv. In February, the US briefly halted weapons sales and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after a disastrous public confrontation between Zelenskyy and Trump in the Oval Office. (om)
