Paks upgrade ineligible for referendum?

The upgrade of Hungary’s sole nuclear power plant in Paks is ineligible for a referendum as it is governed by an international accord, the head of the National Election Committee (NVB) told the Tuesday edition of daily Magyar Nemzet.

The Kúria, Hungary’s supreme court, already made it clear three years ago that the issue of the Paks upgrade pertains to an international treaty, is about the plant’s expansion and the financing of the project and a separate international agreement has been signed on nuclear damage as well, András Patyi told the paper. Hungary’s referendum laws prohibit even a confirmatory referendum on such issues, he added.

“To say that 70 referendum initiatives have been submitted [on the issue of Paks] is just a play on words,” said Patyi. He said petitioners were trying to create the impression that the NVB rejects all referendum questions. He said petitioners were deliberately wording their questions in ways that made it impossible for the NVB to approve them.

Hungary signed an agreement with Russia on the construction of two blocks at the Paks nuclear power plant in 2014.

Photo: atomeromu.hu

Source: MTI