By: Dr Metod Berlec
The ruling left-wing coalition (Gibanje Svoboda, SD, and Levica) made grand promises before the last parliamentary elections and upon taking power, pledging to bring Slovenia closer to the so-called “core Europe.”
After three years in power, the government has revealed itself on the diplomatic stage as a proponent of foreign policy positions that distance us from “core Europe” and are increasingly disconnected from the fundamental values of the West. The ruling coalition parties, led by Prime Minister Robert Golob, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon, and President Nataša Pirc Musar, are increasingly acting as allies of authoritarian regimes that are anything but democratic role models, in fact, they represent the complete opposite of democracy.
A foreign policy that was supposed to be grounded in democratic standards and respect for international law has morphed into an unrecognisable mix of ideological sympathies, a policy of so-called non-alignment, and dangerous relativism. It has taken on overtly antisemitic, anti-Israeli positions. Slovenia recently became the first EU country to declare two Israeli ministers as persona non grata. In doing so, Slovenian diplomacy under Fajon sympathises with and aligns itself with actors who are more or less linked to the terrorist organisation Hamas, all while ignoring, or outright violating, the EU’s and NATO’s most fundamental security commitments. This undermines both our credibility and our strategic direction. Support for the theocratic regime in Iran and the international recognition of a practically non-existent state of Palestine, without proper context or conditions for peace talks, point to a radicalisation of foreign policy that is being noticed by our allies in Brussels, Washington, and elsewhere in Europe. Foreign media (for example, Deutsche Welle recently reported on this) are also writing about the issue, questioning and noting that Slovenia under Golob’s government is endangering European security with its actions.
This kind of orientation is isolating Slovenia not only politically but also in terms of values. While our European partners are strengthening the link between democracy, security, and economic stability, our country is moving away from Western alignments and stepping onto a path closer to totalitarian regimes than to the family of nations that share a vision of a free and secure future. Slovenia therefore urgently needs a foreign policy turnaround. Instead of ideological experiments, it must pursue a consistent policy that clearly shows that, as a nation and as a state, we belong to the West not only geographically but also in terms of values. It must also be acknowledged that the West itself is infected with a leftist, progressive virus, one that is actively encouraged by authoritarian regimes based in Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran. Only with clear commitments to the EU and NATO can we maintain international credibility, ensure the safety of our citizens, and strengthen the influence we can have as a modern and democratic European state.
