Slovenia opposition pushes for referendum on Palestinian state recognition

In Slovenia, the main opposition party wants a vote on recognizing Palestine. This could delay the decision in parliament. The government supported recognizing Palestine and sent the proposal to parliament. The vote was supposed to happen on Tuesday but might be delayed for up to 30 days. Other countries like Spain, Norway, and Ireland have recognized Palestine, which Israel criticized. The opposition party in Slovenia wants a referendum on this decision. They think it's important for citizens to have a say on such a serious matter. The party leader believes the government's decision supports a group called Hamas. The ruling coalition in Slovenia has a strong majority in parliament. They need to approve recognizing Palestine for it to happen. The opposition party's request for a referendum is likely to be rejected. This comes right before the European parliamentary elections in Slovenia on June 9. Slovenia started the process to recognize Palestine in early May but waited due to the situation in Gaza. The Prime Minister decided to speed up the process after recent events in Rafah, causing many Palestinians to flee. The government's decision to recognize Palestine has caused some debate in Slovenia. Some citizens are frustrated with how the government handles such important matters. They want the government to make ethical decisions without delay. The government needs to show that they are serious about their choices.