Slovenian Parliament Cancels JEK 2 Nuclear Referendum

Slovenia's parliament has canceled a consultative referendum originally scheduled for November 24 on the construction of the Krško 2 nuclear power plant. The cancellation, with a vote of 69 to 1, responds to public and political concerns regarding the referendum's legality, transparency, and the adequacy of information available to voters. Environmental groups like Greenpeace criticized the referendum's biased wording and suggested that political collusion was attempting to circumvent proper legislative processes. Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar expressed satisfaction with the cancellation, citing the need for more information for the electorate. Despite the setback, the government plans to draft a special law for the JEK 2 project and will continue development efforts by the state-owned GEN Energija. The existing Krško plant, operational since 1983, is set to close in 2043 and currently provides about 20% of Slovenia's electricity.