Rules of the Radio Focal Point for the monitoring of the referendum campaign

Radio Ognjišče has published detailed guidelines for monitoring the campaign ahead of four upcoming referendums scheduled for October 11, 2026. The rules outline how the station will cover the electoral process, including the constitutional referendum on parliamentary inquiry and three advisory referendums concerning social assistance conditions, voting rights for foreign citizens in local elections, and the abolition of mandatory television contributions. According to the guidelines, Radio Ognjišče will monitor the campaign from September 11 until the start of the election silence period, adhering to legal frameworks, professional journalistic standards, and the station's editorial policy. All content related to the campaign, whether reports, articles, or advertisements, will be clearly marked. Political parties, campaign organizers, and individuals can place ads according to the station’s current advertising rates, with payments required before publication begins. A complete set of rules and deadlines will be posted on the station's website. The guidelines clarify that daily news updates and reports on developments during the campaign, as well as specialized and technical broadcasts on electoral law and its implementation, are not subject to these regulations. Programs related to the campaign, including reports, articles, produced advertisements, and read announcements, will be separated by a specific audio signal. These broadcasts will be ordered in accordance with the law. Content focusing on pre-election themes will follow a schedule developed by the editorial team of Radio Ognjišče’s informational program. Political parties, lists, and individuals can order advertisements, which will be charged based on the station’s current advertising rates. Payment must be made prior to publication, and standard discounts for advance payment will not apply. Advertisements are subject to content restrictions only if they violate laws or unjustly discredit individuals, groups, political parties, or religious communities. Radio Ognjišče reserves the right to reject the recording or broadcast of a segment or advertisement if it conflicts with the station's programming content or core broadcasting direction. The rules and schedule for using airtime to present views and candidates for the referendum will be published by Radio Ognjišče before the campaign starts and will be available on the station's website, radio.ognjisce.si. A summary of the rules will also be included in the station’s program. The document was issued in Ljubljana on September 2, 2026, by Msgr. Franci Trstenjak, the responsible editor of Radio Ognjišče. On August 21, the National Assembly announced the scheduling of three advisory referendums for October 11, alongside the constitutional referendum on the amendment to the law on parliamentary inquiry. The advisory referendums concern conditional access to social assistance through community service, the abolition of mandatory television contributions, and the voting rights of citizens of other countries in local elections. The decision to hold these referendums was supported by members of the governing coalition and the party Resnica, who had previously proposed them. Opposition parties opposed the move, arguing that the coalition had scheduled the advisory referendums to divert attention from the constitutional referendum on the amendment to the law on parliamentary inquiry, which was initiated following 44,619 signatures collected by voters. The constitutional referendum, led by former members of the Human Rights Committee such as Franco Juri, Pavel Gantar, Spomenka Hribar, Gregor Tomc, Rastko Močnik, Igor Vidmar, and Vlado Miheljak, will also take place on October 11. Opposition lawmakers claimed that the coalition had scheduled the advisory referendum on the voting rights of foreign citizens in local elections as unconstitutional and were considering requesting a constitutional review. They argued that the National Assembly had already decided on this issue and that only a subsequent constitutional referendum could address it. Several non-governmental organizations had submitted a proposal for the referendum, requiring 40,000 voter signatures, but on Sunday, August 30, they announced their intention to withdraw the initiative. By doing so, they aimed to allow opposition parties to request a constitutional review and temporary suspension of the new legislation. This had not been possible so far because the revised law could not be published in the official gazette due to the ongoing collection of signatures for the constitutional referendum, which has a deadline of October 5. Members of the governing coalition and Resnica believe that the advisory referendum does not affect the constitutional one. The advisory referendum on the voting rights of foreign citizens in local elections has sparked debate over the legality of holding multiple referendums on the same day. Some argue that consolidating several votes into one day reduces costs and increases efficiency, while others question whether the simultaneous conduct of different types of referendums undermines the clarity and focus of each individual vote. As the date approaches, the public and media will closely follow the developments surrounding these referendums, particularly the constitutional referendum on the amendment to the law on parliamentary inquiry, which has drawn considerable attention due to its potential impact on governance and oversight mechanisms.