Waiting for the referendum

A possible 'no' vote in the Sept. 14 referendum on Estonia's accession to the European Union doesn't mean that extraordinary general elections will have to be held, chairman of the parliament's constitutional committee Urmas Reinsalu says. "Although the constitutional committee hasn't voted on the issue, we have touched upon the topic and accepted the conclusion that the law doesn't require the present lineup of the Riigikogu to disband itself if the people say 'no' to the matter submitted to a referendum by the previous Riigikogu," Reinsalu said. He said the topic had been discussed also during a meeting with President Arnold Rüütel at the end of May. At that meeting, too, the participants accepted the conclusion that the referendum law doesn't require the parliament to resign in case of a negative referendum outcome.