- According to the latest unofficial results, voters in Slovenia with 50,04 percent of the votes rejected the abolition of the mandatory RTV subscription: 461.765 votes were against, and 461.073 were for, with 99,98 percent of the ballots counted.
- The reversal happened in the early hours of the morning, as the first provisional results showed the advantage of the repeal.
- Votes sent by mail will be counted after 12 noon, and the results from abroad will be determined on October 19.
- On the same day, three more referendums were held: the law on parliamentary investigation was rejected, while two advisory ones were supported.
What happened
By early morning, provisional unofficial results showed more voters voting for repeal RTV fees, and after the update at 6.20 the situation turned around. With 99,98 percent of the counted ballots, 461.073 voters voted for abolition, and 461.765 voted against. The turnout is around 54,5 percent.
The district election commissions will count the ballots received by mail from Slovenia after 12:00 today, and on October 19, those from abroad will be counted. The president of RTV Slovenia, Natalija Gorščak, said that such a close result confirms that the public service is working well, that it does not give politicians the legitimacy to cancel subscriptions, but a mandate to discuss with the public what kind of RTV they want, what its tasks are and what it should no longer do. She added that transformation and modernization are needed, which requires investments.
At the same vote, voters rejected the parliamentary investigation law with 51,26 percent, while 48,74 percent were in favor. 60,54 percent supported making social assistance conditional on work in the community, and 55,29 percent supported the abolition of the right to vote for citizens of third countries.
Background of the story
The referendum on RTV subscription is advisory, and the decision to call it was made by the Slovenian Parliament on August 28 with 45 votes for and 27 against. The abolition was advocated by the parties SDS, NSi, SLS, Fokus and Democrats, and RTV subscriptions are paid by almost 642.000 households, while slightly more than 15.000 taxpayers are exempted from payment.
Advisory results do not in themselves change laws, while a referendum on a parliamentary inquiry bill is legislative and its outcome is binding.
RTV previously assessed that public funding is a European standard, and in 2022, citizens in a referendum overwhelmingly supported the law on RTV that was passed by the previous government.
Why is this important?
The way public service is financed directly affects its independence from the government and the market, so the difference of 692 votes is also a message of how divided public opinion is. For households that pay a subscription, the outcome decides whether they will continue to pay the fee as before.
For the government and parliament, which would have to pass an amendment to the law to end the subscription, that's a weaker argument than they expected.
For the media scene in the region, it is an example of how a dispute over a public service is resolved by a referendum.
After counting the mail and votes from abroad, the final results will be known, and the parliament will decide whether and how, despite the advisory nature of the referendum, it will change the laws. Results on alien suffrage and welfare also await political decision.
Election time! And someone has to report to you independently. That's why it's in October annual subscription the digital edition of "Vremena" even 2.500 dinars cheaper. Choose now!
