Slovenian President investigated over alleged ties to Russian intelligence

Slovenia's President Nataša Pirc Musar is facing scrutiny over alleged connections to Russian intelligence, prompting a parliamentary committee to investigate the matter. The committee plans to meet with representatives from the Slovenian intelligence service SOVA next week to clarify the nature of these alleged ties.

The investigation was initiated following media reports that highlighted a close friendship between President Pirc Musar and Viktorija Krivolucka, a Slovenian citizen of Russian origin. Krivolucka was reportedly traveling in the official presidential car when Pirc Musar suffered a broken collarbone in a traffic accident. Further reports linked Krivolucka to Roman Jeglič, a former Slovenian intelligence officer who defected to Russia in the mid-1990s. Krivolucka has confirmed a past romantic relationship with Jeglič and stated they lived together in Russia for several years, though she claims they have not been in contact for over 15 years.

Amid these allegations, Slovenian Member of Parliament Žan Mahnič has called on the government to cease sending intelligence and security reports to the President, citing fears of potential links to a Russian spy network. The President's administration has firmly denied all accusations. This situation unfolds against a backdrop of international concerns regarding Russian intelligence activities, with recent reports detailing similar alleged spy networks operating in the UK, Romania, and Italy.