The Bled Strategic Forum, which Dimitrij Rupel thought of and designed two decades ago as a tool for promoting Slovenia and its economy, suffered one of its biggest setbacks this year. The speech by European foreign policy representative Kaja Kallas was delivered to an almost empty hall – a scene that was deeply embarrassing for Slovenia. The empty seats are the result of the misguided policies of Robert Golob’s government, as well as the actions of the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, and the President of the Republic, Nataša Pirc Musar, which are all pushing Slovenia into international isolation.
Instead of the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) following its original mission – strengthening economic ties, opening markets, and positioning Slovenia as a hub between countries – this year’s debate revolves almost entirely around Palestine. Most of Prime Minister Robert Golob‘s bilateral meetings were devoted to Gaza and the West Bank.
The Prime Minister held talks with the foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan and with the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which is in line with his policy of emphasising Palestine. This overlooked the basic purpose of the forum, which Rupel once described as Slovenia’s “window to the world” – an event designed to strengthen its reputation and attract investment. Today, however, the Bled Strategic Forum is increasingly caught up in ideological issues that distance Slovenia from key partners and do not bring tangible benefits.
Protests as a backdrop to political isolation
The events in Bled were also marked by pro-Palestinian protests. Activists sent a boat out onto the lake with a banner depicting Kaja Kallas alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the inscription that she was complicit in genocide. The police removed the boat, but the message was clear: Slovenia found itself at the epicentre of one-sided activism, which turned the international forum into a space for political showdowns and ideological manifestations.
Instead of highlighting Slovenia as a bridge between different interests, the forum revealed how strongly the Slovenian foreign policy is caught up in a one-sided obsession with Palestine.
Kallas without an audience
In her speech, Kallas expressed disappointment at the European Union’s lack of unity on the Gaza issue and warned that the Union’s credibility was at stake. But the fact that she spoke to an almost empty hall had an even stronger symbolic effect.
The contrast with the past is striking. During Janez Janša‘s time in office, the Bled Strategic Forum was one of the most well-attended events.
Watch LIVE my conversation with @AslanTV at @BledStratForum ↓ https://t.co/y8V9XYvWgv
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) September 1, 2025
Numerous world and European leaders, American and European ministers, and influential businesspeople gathered in Bled at that time. The forum was filled with discussions on security, energy, digital transformation, and investment opportunities.
Slovenia is sliding into isolation
Slovenia’s foreign policy has won the applause of a certain part of the international public with its recognition of Palestine and the radical moves of Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon and Prime Minister Golob, but this has come at the cost of lost opportunities. The empty hall in Bled was therefore no coincidence. It was a reflection of reality: with its current foreign policy, Slovenia is losing credibility and dangerously approaching international isolation.
Sara Kovač
