After announcing a referendum on European Union entry, Slovak President Rudolf Schuster called on the citizens to get out and vote since EU entry is not a decision for a four-year term of parliamentary deputies, but a great responsibility for the future. President Schuster set the referendum date at May 16-17. He hopes that citizens will be aware of the importance of their vote regardless of the situation in Slovakia or in the world. He estimates the turnout at 70 percent, while only a very few would vote against entry.

According to President Schuster, the May referendum will be one of the most important plebiscites in Slovakia’s history. He wants to use the remaining time to explain its importance in the regions. „We have always been comparing ourselves to developed countries of Europe, but now we are close to them and we could join them,“ stressed the president.

The president warned about risks that could influence referendum turnout. He assumes that the Iraqi crisis might take its toll on turnout but also unpopular reforms that citizens will be feeling more intensely at the time of the referendum. He called on the cabinet to intensify its activities towards the citizens and persuade them about the need to cast their vote. He criticized the cabinet for leaving citizens without sufficient information on the pros and cons of EU entry. He plans to elaborate „ten commandments“ of positives and negatives for EU entry.

However, the president warned that citizens should not be too optimistic and expect that EU entry will solve all their problems.