LJUBLJANA, April 5 (Hina) - The Slovene Liberal Democrats (LDS) on Monday's dismissed claims that yesterday's referendum on "erased non-Slovenes" constituted the victory of the opposition and the defeat of the Anton Rop Cabinet
because voters toppled a bill that would give the "erased" their rights back.
LJUBLJANA, April 5 (Hina) - The Slovene Liberal Democrats (LDS) on
Monday's dismissed claims that yesterday's referendum on "erased
non-Slovenes" constituted the victory of the opposition and the defeat
of the Anton Rop Cabinet because voters toppled a bill that would give
the "erased" their rights back.#L#
"Seventy percent of voters boycotted the referendum, proving that
Slovenia is not a xenophobic state, but we don't condemn the remaining
30 percent. Their position is legal and legitimate," the chairman of
the LDS' Council, Gregor Golobic, told reporters.
The largest party in the incumbent coalition government is not against
the continuation of talks on a constitutional law that would resolve
the issue of the "erased", he said.
LDS representatives have said the results of the referendum are in
effect the defeat of the opposition, notably Janez Jansa's Slovene
Democrats, who expected the referendum turnout to be 60 percent given
the nearly year-long campaigning about this matter.
Prime Minister Rop today rejected the opposition's offer that the
government resign because of the results of the referendum and call
early elections for June 13, when Slovenia is due to hold the first
elections for representatives to the European Parliament.
(Hina) ha sb