The Slovenian Parliament has voted to cancel the advisory referendum regarding the construction of a second unit at the Krško Nuclear Power Plant, with 69 votes in favor and one against. This decision came after discussions among major political parties revealed that the outcome of the referendum would likely have little impact on the project.
Greenpeace criticized this political maneuver, calling it irresponsible and misleading regarding nuclear energy initiatives. The organization urged for a shift towards a resilient energy system based on renewable sources to ensure affordable energy and maintain Slovenia’s competitiveness.
Originally, the referendum was set to take place at the end of November, but its cancellation followed a scandal involving leaked audio recordings. These recordings revealed key politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties discussing ways to bypass legal requirements to expedite the project.
The leaked discussions featured parliamentary legal experts presenting three scenarios for accelerating the project’s implementation, with the chosen scenario clearly violating referendum laws, despite warnings from legal advisors.
On October 10, the Parliament had passed a regulation regarding the referendum on ensuring stable low-carbon electricity supply, scheduling it for November 24. Preparations were underway, and expenses had already been incurred for the campaign, which was set to kick off soon. However, negative media coverage surrounding the project led the sponsoring parties to withdraw their support for the referendum earlier this week.
Despite the cancellation, the expansion of the Krško Nuclear Power Plant remains on the agenda, with plans for a special law proposal aimed at facilitating the largest planned investment in Slovenia since its independence.
