Polish Regional Referendum on Rospudy Not Valid

Poland.pl report today that the turnout of the Augustów bypass regional referendum conducted yesterday was 21.56 percent."The referendum is not valid because the turnout did not reach the 30% threshold," the Regional Referendum Committee in Białystok said.

Though, unsurprisingly, 92% who did cast their votes were in favour of the gvt. motion to rip through the Natura 200 protected ecosystem of Rospuda Valley. Nevertheless, this is an embarrassment for a gvt. that held back no punches in pushing forward this referendum, the first regional one to be held in Poland since 1999.
I won't take the wind out of their sails, but it is however a defeat for them.

The lack of interest may be due to the fact that locals didn't understand the arguments, didn't care, are growing to hate PiS, or just decided to go fishing or have a picnic instead of going to the ballot box. Either way, it is a good indication of how the issues have not been addressed in full by the gvt. authorities - only an objective educational campaign about all the facts can succeed in persuading people from the region, especially the residents of Augustow, that the alternative proposition, which is more ecologically sound, should be given the green light.