By: Dr Matevž Tomšič
When recently they expelled an employee of the Russian Embassy in Slovenia – who was actually a senior officer of their intelligence service – on charges of spreading disinformation aimed at influencing Slovenian public opinion regarding the war in Ukraine, it revealed what had long been known to anyone with a better understanding of domestic and international politics. Namely, that Russia has a highly extensive network of propagandists in the Western world who spread the agenda of Putin’s regime and seek to achieve as much support as possible for his policies. These networks include both state officials, Russian citizens abroad, and local Russophiles. Among the latter, some do it out of conviction, others act as mercenaries, and the third are simply deceived (such individuals were dubbed “useful idiots” by Lenin).
Due to the widespread pro-Russian sentiments, Slovenia is a very suitable terrain for spreading Putinist propaganda. That there is plenty of it can be clear to anyone who follows media reports on topics related to this country. These often express sympathy for Russian positions. Especially noteworthy is the online portal of the national broadcaster (how telling!). Particularly striking are the comments under these articles. They are full of glorification of Russia and its president on one side and denigration of the West, the USA, Ukraine, and all those who oppose the Kremlin’s interests on the other. And these comments are very similar regardless of where we encounter them. The same clichés, the same disinformation, the same constructs. Sometimes it seems as if they were written by the same hand. Well, perhaps they were. Or at least someone carefully instructs and directs their authors. That was precisely the task of the expelled intelligence officer.
Shortly after the expulsion of the aforementioned individual, an affair occurred involving the online media outlet Voice of Europe, owned by a pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarch, which was allegedly intended to spread Kremlin propaganda in European political circles. The propaganda machine of the ruling Slovenian nomenclature wanted to exploit this for political manipulation. Thus, some media outlets, especially those from the conglomerate of waste management tycoon Martin Odlazek, pointed the finger at none other than the leader of the largest opposition party, Janez Janša, who gave an interview to the aforementioned online media last autumn. Therefore, the main Slovenian Putinist was supposed to be him.
MEANWHILE, LEFT-WING SUPPORTERS OF RUSSIA AND ITS LEADER HAVE SIGNIFICANT POWER AND INFLUENCE ON PUBLIC OPINION. AMONG THEM IS THE GRAY EMINENCE OF SLOVENIAN POLITICS, MILAN KUČAN, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS CURRENT AND FORMER POLITICIANS, JOURNALISTS, AND OTHER OPINION LEADERS.
However, this attempt was so transparent that it largely failed. In the mentioned interview, Janša did not say anything he had not said on numerous other occasions. Above all, there was not a shred of sympathy for Putin’s regime in his statements. And as always, he firmly sided with Ukraine. Furthermore, he advocated for increased assistance to this country, which is not surprising. He is, in fact, one of the most determined supporters of Ukraine in European politics (let us recall, together with his Polish and Czech colleagues, he was the first to visit besieged Kyiv).
So, it was a – admittedly rather charlatan – attempt to redirect attention regarding the question of who the promoters of Putin’s agenda in Slovenia are. The fact is that the majority of Russophiles are on the left. There are some on the right as well, but in this case, they are a couple – albeit quite vocal – individuals who do not have much influence in decision-making processes. Meanwhile, left-wing supporters of Russia and its leader have significant power and influence on public opinion. Among them is the grey eminence of Slovenian politics, Milan Kučan, as well as numerous current and former politicians, journalists, and other opinion leaders. We can say that it is a tightly woven network with connections to the Putin regime. We know who hobnobbed with the Russian president in Moscow; we know who received his awards. They were exclusively people from the left. And we can infer with whom the expelled Russian intelligence officer collaborated.