Crossing the Rubicon: Slovenia at a Turning Point

Slovenia is approaching a pivotal moment. This Friday, the courts are expected to deliver a verdict in what is now the third high-profile trial targeting the leader of the opposition, Janez Janša. Many observers see these proceedings as politically motivated, and this time, the context feels fundamentally different. The patience of the opposition — and of many citizens — has been tested more than once. A third such attempt, especially so close to next year’s parliamentary elections, risks being viewed not just as a legal matter, but as a direct challenge to the democratic process itself.

All current public opinion polls suggest that Janez Janša would be the likely winner of the upcoming elections. Any perception that judicial decisions are being used to influence or preempt this outcome would cast a long shadow over the legitimacy of the democratic system. If this process is seen as an effort to pre-determine election results, it could become a defining moment in our political history — Slovenia’s own October 7. While not as violent or dramatic as events elsewhere, the political consequences could be equally profound.

Should the current government continue down a path marked by concentrated media control, the marginalization of opposition voices, and dominance over all branches of power, the consequences may be lasting. Our country could face a deepening divide, a "before" and "after" moment that alters public trust irreversibly. History shows us how fragile peace can be — just as October 7 forever changed the Israeli perception of coexistence, Slovenia risks losing something equally vital: faith in the possibility of peaceful, democratic change.

Unlike a decade ago, when a similar trial took place, this time the geopolitical environment is different. International audiences are more alert to the dangers of democratic backsliding, especially in Europe. Across the continent, the political right — often accused of undermining democratic norms — is unlikely to remain silent if yet another one of its leading figures is perceived to be targeted unjustly, particularly when that figure is leading in national polls.

This is why now, more than ever, we must choose dialogue over division, and democratic integrity over short-term political gain. Let this be an appeal to those in power: for the sake of national unity and stability, resist the urge to escalate. Calm rhetoric, a fair judicial process, and respect for democratic pluralism must prevail.

Slovenia does not need a political crisis that spirals into unrest or — in the worst case — lays the groundwork for widespread revolt or internal conflict. We do not want to become a country where belief in justice fades, and only force or protest seems to hold sway.

Let democracy work. Let the people decide their future in free and fair elections, without interference or manipulation. That is the only way forward — toward peace, prosperity, and a stronger, more resilient Slovenia.

Our Staged Democracy: Slovenia’s Theresienstadt and the EU’s Complicity

A closer look at how democratic institutions in Slovenia were hollowed out—while Brussels applauded the performance.

Three years ago, events in Slovenia took a deeply troubling turn.

Those of us who understood the true state of affairs watched in dismay as well-funded lobbyists portrayed a reality in direct contradiction to what was actually unfolding in the country. While socialists had already secured control over the judiciary and were orchestrating politically motivated show trials against the opposition, they portrayed themselves in Brussels as victims of social media posts on Twitter.

Despite already dominating nearly all major media outlets in Slovenia, they pointed to a small opposition outlet with only 2% market reach as a supposed threat to democracy. Efforts to diversify the media space—so that voices beyond the socialist establishment could be heard—were cynically framed as attempts to hijack the media.

In this context, European commissioners with sympathies toward socialist ideologies, such as Věra Jourová and Sophie in ’t Veld, actively participated in the erosion of democracy and freedom in Slovenia. Under the banner of the “rule of law,” Brussels endorsed the subjugation of all branches of Slovenian government to socialist control.

As a result, socialists now hold not only the judiciary and the Constitutional Court, but also the presidency, the government, the national assembly, and more than 90% of the media landscape. This political imbalance is the inevitable outcome of a historical reality: in the past 80 years, right-leaning governments in Slovenia have held power for less than a tenth of that time. For the remaining nine-tenths, all levers of authority have remained in the hands of various socialist administrations.

This letter, presented today by former chairman of the programming council of RTV Slovenia, Peter Gregorčič, to the fact-finding delegation of the European People’s Party, sheds light on the stage-managed backdrop of our own Theresienstadt—illustrated through the case of the now-captured public broadcaster and the Constitutional Court.