US embassy cable - 05LJUBLJANA686

UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000686 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
UNCLASSIFIED 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, ECON, SI 
SUBJECT: Everyone Wins: Slovenian Referendum on the new Law 
on the National Radio and Television - follow-up 
 
Ref: Ljubljana 682 
 
1.  (U) SUMMARY:  On Sunday, September 25, Slovenians, by a 
very slight margin, voted in favor of the new Law on 
National Radio and Television. It was the expected close 
result with 50.2 percent in favor and 49.1 percent opposing 
the new law. Turnout was also, as expected, low, with only 
30.7 percent of eligible voters going to the polls. Mail-in 
ballots have yet to be counted, but they are not expected to 
substantially change the balance, and everyone is claiming 
victory.  The Government sees the vote as a confirmation of 
the law, which twice has been approved by votes in the 
Parliament.  The opposition sees the close result as a 
warning shot across the Government's bow, saying it 
demonstrates public distrust of the government. Official 
results will be confirmed by October 14, and the new law 
will go into effect on the 15th day after publication in the 
Official Gazette. How the Government implements the law will 
be the ultimate proof of its intentions. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) The initial reaction of PM Janez Jansa was that 
"[these] results are yet another confirmation of the law 
that was passed by two-thirds majority in the parliament." 
Opposition leader and former prime minister Anton Rop 
expressed that his party, Liberal Democracy (LDS), expected 
this close result and he claimed the "results show that an 
important part of the Slovene electoral body recognized 
their [LDS's] arguments and arguments of civil society 
[against the new law]." 
 
3. (U) Splitting the difference, President Janez Drnovsek 
said that Slovenes would have to wait to see how the law is 
implemented, and it will be perceived negatively only if 
"politic(ians) manipulate the national radio and television 
through it." He expressed optimism, however, since "the 
belief that Slovenia needs an independent and free media was 
planted strongly in the minds of citizens through all public 
discussions prior to the referendum." 
 
3.  (U) Comment: While the results of the referendum are 
very close, with only around one percent more voters in 
favor of the new law, the law had already been passed by the 
parliament twice prior to the referendum. The first time was 
through regular procedures with a simple majority voting in 
favor and the second time, after the National Council used 
its veto, it passed with a two-thirds majority. Various 
press outlets are parsing the results, some saying voters do 
not want to have to do the work of Parliament, and others 
saying the close vote is a clear vote of no confidence in 
the government.  In a country where nearly 90 percent of the 
budget is earmarked, it would not be surprising if the 
Slovene taxpayer finds the expenditure of nearly 2.6 million 
Euros on this referendum to have been gratuitous, something 
which could reflect negatively on the opposition.  Post 
concurs with President Drnovsek's view that how the 
Government implements the law will be the proof of its 
intentions.  End Comment. 
 
ROBERTSON 
 
 
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 2005LJUBLJ00686 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED 


 
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