PM party MEP submits Paks expansion referendum question

Budapest, March 30 (MTI) – Dialogue for Hungary (PM) MEP Benedek Jávor on Wednesday submitted a referendum question concerning the expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant to the National Election Committee (NVB).

If the question is approved by the committee, citizens would be asked: “Do you agree that Hungary’s parliament should pass a resolution mandating the government to initiate the cancellation of the agreement it signed with Russia on expanding the Paks power plant?”.

Jávor told a press conference after submitting the question that its phrasing is deliberately similar to the government’s question on mandatory migrant quotas. He said he was “curious to see” if the NVB would “apply double standards” in the cases of two questions that both pertain to international commitments. Jávor said that if the government’s migrant quota question was approved then it is only fair that his own question should also be put up for referendum.

The MEP said he would turn to the Kúria, Hungary’s supreme court, if his question is rejected.

Jávor said the loan from Russia to expand the power plant would leave Hungary indebted to Russia for decades to come.

“Hungarians have a right to express their opinion on this completely mindless investment … which violates several EU laws and regulations, goes against the goals of its energy policies and more importantly, common sense, the country’s interests and as I believe, the will of the majority as well,” he said.

Hungary signed an agreement in January 2014 on the construction of two blocks at the Paks nuclear power plant by Russia’s Rosatom. Russia is lending Hungary 10 billion euros to cover 80 percent of the project’s costs.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters