Vote shortage kills referendum

  • 1999-11-18
  • By J. Michael Lyons
RIGA - Nearly 320,000 people cast votes on Nov. 13 against controversial changes to Latvia's pension law in a referendum that does not count.Parliamentary opposition parties garnered support for the referendum in response to changes offered by the ruling coalition last August that would have bumped up the retirement age and frozen payments to working pensioners among other reforms aimed at trimming a growing budget deficit.Voters were asked whether the amendments should be vetoed. Most said "yes," but not enough.To be enforced, at least half the voters from the last parliamentary election h...
 
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