Discouraging participation in the referendum is anti-citizen and strengthens the party system in Poland, Kukiz’15 Direct Democracy leader Paweł Kukiz told PAP.
On Thursday, the Sejm passed a resolution to hold a nationwide referendum on October 15, i.e. on the day of parliamentary elections.
In an interview with PAP, Kukiz stressed that he has been agitating for the idea of referenda for years, but will not be involved in promoting the one scheduled for the fall.
I will certainly not discourage participation in the referendum, although I stubbornly repeat that in Poland the law on referendums must first be changed, because citizens do not have the possibility – not even by means of a referendum – to protest against any referendum organized by parties, so that only politicians have the right to write it down
– he said.
In Poland, all referenda may only be held by political parties on the basis of Art. 125 of the Constitution
Kuki remembers.
Citizens can, in theory, after collecting 500,000 signatures, ask for a referendum, but it is the Sejm that votes whether such a referendum should be held or not, and this should be changed
– added.
As emphasized by Kukiz, “It can’t be that after collecting 500,000 signatures, people can be treated as they were treated in 2004, when Civic Platform collected 750,000 signatures for the 4xYes referendum, and then these signatures were ground and no referendum was”.
READ MORE: Kukiz remembers Tusk’s campaign from years ago: over 750,000. signatures were ground up in parliamentary shredders. He declared himself invalid
“It’s anti-civic activity.”
Kukiz was also asked how he assessed the votes of opposition politicians calling for a boycott of the referendum and the words of PO head Donald Tusk, who said after the PO National Council: “I solemnly cancel this referendum in your presence .”
This is anti-citizen activity that strengthens the party system in Poland, as it appreciates the institution of the referendum
– judged MP Kikiz.
He also recalled that – thanks to the program agreement with Law and Justice – lessons on direct democracy will be held in schools through brochures and presentations, including education on the role of referenda in civil society.
Under the Constitution, a nationwide referendum may be ordered by the Sejm by an absolute majority of votes in the presence of at least half of the statutory number of deputies, or by the President of the Republic of Poland with the express consent of the Senate by an absolute majority of vote in the presence of at least half the statutory number of senators.
Four questions will be asked in the referendum on 15 October. The first reads: “Do you support the sale of state assets to foreign entities, which causes Polish women and men to lose control of strategic sectors of the economy?”. Second, “Are you in favor of raising the retirement age, including restoring the retirement age to 67 for men and women?” Third: “Do you support the removal of the barrier at the border between the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Belarus?” Fourth: “Do you support the admission of thousands of illegal immigrants from the Middle East and Africa, in accordance with the forced relocation mechanism imposed by the European bureaucracy?”
kk/PAP
Source: wPolityce