By: Peter Jančič (Spletni časopis)
“We are pleased to announce that we have successfully reached an agreement for Dr Damir Črnčec to join the SDH team on February 1st, 2025. Dr. Črnčec has extensive experience in a wide range of activities related to security aspects and resilience of both national systems and organisations. As Assistant to the President of the Management Board for Corporate Security, he will be responsible for developing policies and mechanisms that will contribute to the enhancement of corporate security systems and, consequently, the resilience of companies within SDH’s management portfolio.”
This was announced today by the state holding company, where, immediately after taking power, the government of Robert Golob installed its own supervisory board through a political purge. This allowed them to replace the management board and appoint Žiga Debeljak as the head. In doing so, they gained political influence over Telekom, the media, and several other state-owned companies. Črnčec is a member of the Freedom Movement and Deputy Defence Minister, making this move rather unusual and indicative of SDH’s complete subordination to the ruling parties.
The purge was carried out at the beginning of the government’s term by violating the law, as shown by an administrative court ruling regarding the premature dismissal of SDH supervisory board member Leon Cizelj. An appeal against the ruling, which confirmed the violation of the law, is no longer permitted. However, the government authorised the state attorney’s office to seek a revision of the administrative court’s judgment. Leon Cizelj and Božo Emeršič were swiftly dismissed in parliament by MPs from Freedom, SD, and Levica immediately after the elections, enabling the ruling parties to gain influence over the most important state-owned companies, particularly Telekom. This also secured the government parties’ influence over the media, which Telekom extensively funds and publishes. This reshuffling also facilitated changes within the state energy sector, from which Prime Minister Golob originates.
To justify these premature political dismissals and appointments of “their own people”, the government claimed that the esteemed scientist Cizelj did not meet the eligibility criteria at the time of his appointment, alleging that he lacked ten years of relevant experience. While serving as the editor-in-chief of Siol.net during Cizelj’s dismissal, I pointed out that no one had contested his eligibility at the time of his appointment, no court had ruled that anything was amiss, and Cizelj had no opportunity to defend himself against the political dismissal we witnessed. Following Cizelj’s removal, the rapid replacement of Telekom’s supervisory board and management also led to the swift and premature replacement of Siol.net’s editor-in-chief, a platform owned by Telekom.
The employment of Črnčec, until now the State Secretary at the Ministry of Defence and formerly the head of the intelligence service, was explained by SDH as follows: “Changes in the business environment are becoming increasingly unpredictable, and risks (pandemics, war conflicts, extreme climate conditions, etc.) with global consequences are emerging. At the same time, the business environment is becoming more competitive, and communication infrastructure and digital connectivity are introducing new areas of vulnerability for companies. Therefore, it is crucial for companies to appropriately prioritise the design and implementation of corporate security functions, which include identifying and implementing systemic measures to manage security risks within the company – both in the cyber domain and other areas – and enhancing their resilience. This is even more important because many state-owned companies also manage critical infrastructure. For this reason, SDH has included the field of corporate security among its management priorities.”
The purpose of this unusual political personnel transfer to the leadership of the Slovenian State Holding is likely twofold: to ensure greater control by the Freedom Movement over activities in state-owned companies and to provide Črnčec with a way out, as it is expected that the current government will lose power in just over a year.