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Hungarian president sets date for referendum on EU migrant plan

Xinhua, July 5, 2016 Adjust font size:

Hungarian President Janos Ader set Oct. 2 as the date for a referendum on whether to comply with a European Union (EU) directive on the mandatory receipt of migrants, the office of the president's website announced on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced on Feb. 24 the government would call a referendum on whether the Hungarian people would accept resident migrants on EU orders without its own parliament having a say in the matter. Orban argued this was a decision that only the Hungarian parliament could make.

Parliament resolved on May 10 to hold the referendum in a vote of 136 in favor, five opposed, and a boycott by the left-wing parties.

Left-wing politicians challenged the pro-referendum vote in the Supreme and Constitutional Courts but failed to obtain favorable decisions.

Hungary has roughly eight million eligible voters domestically and about 250,000 dual citizens who live in neighboring countries. The dual citizens will vote by mail while Hungarians with an address in Hungary will be able to vote at Hungarian embassies throughout the world.

Attendance by 50 percent of the registered voters is required for a valid referendum. Endit