Slovenia says it has confirmed foreign influence on last weekend’s election

Slovenia’s intelligence agency has confirmed foreign interference in the country’s recent parliamentary elections, according to a government statement released Thursday following a National Security Council meeting.

The Slovenian Intelligence and Security Agency (SOVA) presented evidence of “concrete activities of a foreign para-intelligence agency” and their contacts with Slovenian entities. The evidence has already been handed over to law enforcement authorities, prosecutors, and police, though the government did not specifically name the foreign agency involved.

Sunday’s election ended with no definitive winner. Prime Minister Robert Golob’s liberal Freedom Movement secured 29 seats in the 90-member assembly, narrowly edging out the opposition right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), which won 28 seats. The close result leaves Slovenia’s political future uncertain as coalition negotiations begin.

The election campaign was marred by controversy after videos appeared online showing secretly recorded conversations in which individuals connected to the government allegedly boasted about their political connections. A coalition of activists and journalists claimed these recordings were strategically leaked to influence voters, prompting Slovenian authorities to launch an investigation.

Intelligence gathered during this investigation reportedly suggests links between the SDS and a private foreign intelligence agency called Black Cube. Janez Jansa, the leader of SDS and former prime minister, has acknowledged having contact with an adviser from Black Cube but denies any wrongdoing.

Vojko Volk, Slovenia’s secretary of state for national and international security, stated last week that representatives from Black Cube visited Slovenia four times in recent months. One visit allegedly included a location in Ljubljana where the SDS party maintains its headquarters.

In response to these developments, Prime Minister Golob has called for the European Union to investigate the matter, elevating the issue to a regional concern about election integrity and foreign interference.

When contacted by the Associated Press, Black Cube described itself as “an intelligence firm which provides services exclusively to clients engaged in business activities worldwide, supporting litigations, arbitrations and white-collar crime cases.” The company insisted it obtains legal advice in all jurisdictions where it operates to ensure compliance with local laws.

“Corruption is a phenomenon that harms economies and impedes legitimate business activity. Black Cube will continue uncovering fraud, corruption and asset dissipation in all its cases globally as it has consistently done in the past 15 years,” the agency stated.

A separate government statement from March 20 provided more specific details about alleged Black Cube activities. According to that statement, SOVA chief Josko Kadivik presented “material evidence” connecting three representatives of Black Cube—Giora Eiland, Liron Tzur, and Dan Zorella—to a visit at the SDS headquarters in Ljubljana.

Kadivik reportedly presented findings regarding Black Cube’s activities both in Slovenia and abroad, which “demonstrate counterintelligence operations against the Republic of Slovenia and foreign interference in Slovenian elections.”

This incident comes amid growing concerns across Europe about foreign interference in democratic processes. Slovenia, a member of both the European Union and NATO since 2004, has positioned itself as a stable democracy in the Balkans region. The allegations of election interference could potentially strain Slovenia’s diplomatic relations and raise questions about vulnerabilities in its electoral system.

The situation continues to develop as authorities pursue their investigation into these serious allegations that threaten to undermine confidence in Slovenia’s democratic institutions.