By: Moja Dolenjska
The Maribor Higher Court has upheld a ruling by the Kranj District Court requiring SDS President Janez Janša to reimburse the prosecutor and judges in the Patria case, from whom he had sought damages, for the legal proceedings costs. In doing so, the court even slightly increased the awarded costs. Janša is therefore required to pay a staggering total of €30,260 in expenses.
Janez Janša had filed a claim for over €900,000 in damages from the state, former prosecutor Branka Zobec Hrastar, and judges Barbara Klanjšek, Milan Štrukelj, Vesna Žalik, and Branko Masleša. The case against the state is still ongoing separately, but the portion against the prosecutor and judges concluded last January, with the court ruling against Janša.
The court awarded €22,000 in legal costs to the prosecutor and judges. Janša appealed, but the Higher Court has now upheld the ruling and slightly increased the awarded costs. According to the court’s decision, which Janša shared on social media platform X, he is required to reimburse Zobec Hrastar €11,552.33, Klanjšek €11,415.83, and a combined €7,291.90 to Štrukelj, Žalik, and Masleša. In total, Janša must pay €30,260 in legal costs. Additionally, Janša must cover an extra €205 and €211 in appeal costs for Zobec Hrastar and Klanjšek, respectively.
In his post on X, Janša noted that the Higher Court’s decision on costs is final, as it concerns procedural costs, meaning he cannot seek a Supreme Court review or file an appeal with the Constitutional or European Court.
He further commented that Judge Tanja Bizjak from the Kranj District Court, who is handling the remaining damages claim against the state, has not scheduled a hearing for over a year. Janša wrote, “The rampant judicial elite, serving the degenerate left, believes it is untouchable and will never be held accountable for wrongful judgments and the destruction of individuals and families.”