Key facts
- Slovaks are voting in a referendum on Saturday.
- The referendum concerns canceling lifelong payments for Prime Minister Robert Fico and other leaders after their terms expire.
- The vote also addresses reopening offices that handled major crime and corruption cases.
- The outcome will decide the future of lifelong payments for former leaders.
- The outcome will decide the future of offices handling major crime and corruption cases.
Slovaks are participating in a referendum on Saturday that will determine the fate of lifelong payments for Prime Minister Robert Fico and other former leaders once their terms in office have ended. The vote is a direct challenge to a benefit that has been a subject of public debate. In addition to the lifelong payments, the referendum includes a question about whether to reopen offices that were responsible for investigating and prosecuting major crime and corruption cases. The potential reopening of these offices could signal a shift in the country's approach to tackling significant illicit activities. The results of the referendum are expected to have implications for the financial provisions for past leaders and the operational framework for anti-corruption efforts within Slovakia.