Ex-Austrian Chancellor Kurz reportedly lobbied Slovenia's PM for Israeli cyber tools

Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, now a businessman representing an Israeli company, met with Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša on July 13, reportedly to lobby for Israeli cyber tools.

The meeting, confirmed by Janša's office, was described as informational and focused on presenting technological solutions for strengthening cyber security. "At the meeting, their technological solutions aimed at countries to strengthen cyber security were presented," an official statement said, adding that any future decisions would follow legal procedures.

According to Slovenian media reports, Kurz held three lobbying contacts in Ljubljana. He allegedly met Janša twice and also visited Igor Kovač, a representative of the Information Security Office. Kurz, once a rising star in European conservative politics, resigned as Austrian chancellor in 2021 amid corruption allegations and announced his full withdrawal from politics in December of the same year to become an entrepreneur and lobbyist.

This meeting occurred nearly two years after Janša, then prime minister, hosted Kurz for a working visit in September 2020. Following their discussions in Ljubljana, the two politicians went climbing together in the Triglav mountain's north face.

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At the meeting, their technological solutions aimed at countries to strengthen cyber security were presented.