Town referendum shows most Slovakians reject refugees from Austria

Residents of Gabcikovo town in southern Slovakia voted in a referendum Sunday not to provide temporary shelter to migrants seeking asylum in Austria, a local official said Monday.

Teodor Bodo, head of the referendum commission, said that 96.67 percent of residents had voted against the establishment of a temporary asylum camp in the town to house the 500 migrants.

Bodo said that 2,603 voters, or 58.46 percent of the adults in the town, took part in the referendum.

"I'm pleased that the result reflects the opinion of the public. We had expected that people would come to express their opinion, and I thank them for their participation," Gabcikovo's mayor Ivan Fenes said.

Michaela Paulenova from the Slovak Interior Ministry's press department said earlier that the Interior Ministry "is not bound by the results of such a referendum and is not required by law to act accordingly."

Under a memorandum signed in Austria on July 21, Slovakia has agreed to provide temporary shelter to 500 asylum seekers from Austria.

"Everything is ready in the asylum facility in Gabcikovo to receive the refugees from Austria -- including rooms, beds and personnel," Paulenova said.

It is not known yet exactly when the first 250 asylum seekers will arrive. Endi