By: C. Š. (nova24tv.si)
The Specialised State Prosecutor’s Office filed a request with the Ljubljana District Court to initiate a judicial investigation against Prime Minister Robert Golob in the Bobnar case. All indications suggest that this may be a deliberate delay tactic by the prosecution, intended to keep Golob in power a while longer and buy valuable time.
Prosecutor Blanka Žgajnar confirmed to Televizija Slovenija that a request for judicial investigation has been filed against one individual in the case.
A year ago, the police submitted a criminal complaint to the Specialised State Prosecutor’s Office against Prime Minister Robert Golob, on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of offering gifts for unlawful intervention. The Prime Minister was accused under the second paragraph of Article 264 of the Penal Code, which covers offenses against official duty, public authority, and public funds.
Golob rejected the accusations at the time, claiming it was a case of “one politician’s word against another’s.” Bobnar, who resigned as Minister of the Interior due to her dispute with Golob, consistently stood by her claims regarding his interference in police operations.
Why did the Prosecutor’s Office choose a third path?
The Prosecutor’s Office could have dismissed the police complaint or filed a direct indictment. Instead, it chose to submit a request for judicial investigation – a move several legal experts in criminal law have confirmed is unusual. If the suspicion of the alleged criminal offense is well-founded, the Prosecutor’s Office should file a direct indictment and initiate criminal proceedings. The evidence has already been publicly presented by both sides, and even Prime Minister Golob has acknowledged it. Moreover, the consequences of the alleged offense are evident – “the wrong people,” referred to as “Janšists,” were dismissed.
Golob would be forced to defend himself against serious allegations, and calls for his resignation would likely follow. He himself has previously stated that he would step down under such circumstances, which is why it is reasonable to speculate that the Prosecutor’s Office, part of the executive branch and led by Darja Šlibar, mother of prominent Freedom Movement member Nika Podakar, is deliberately stalling the process to keep Golob in power a while longer and buy precious time.
Golob’s case marks the second controversial move by the Specialised State Prosecutor’s Office this week. Recall that on Tuesday morning, police visited former minister in Janša’s government, Aleš Hojs. That investigation is also being directed by Darja Šlibar’s office, and the judicial inquiry was signed by investigating judge Irena Topolšek, known from the Trenta affair.
Opposition leader Janez Janša also commented on the Golob case:
“The ‘purging of Janšists’ case warrants a direct indictment, if the Prosecutor’s Office considers the suspicion well-founded. By opting for a judicial investigation instead, the drama is merely being prolonged, keeping Golob in check. Even in the high-profile Patria case, no judicial investigation was conducted, only a direct indictment.”