According to unofficial information from sources close to the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK), Prime Minister Robert Golob has received a draft decision indicating a violation of the Integrity and Prevention of Corruption Act in a case involving Tatjana Bobnar and alleged pressure on the police. Similarly, a draft decision in the Karigador case is said to indicate a violation due to a suspected conflict of interest.
As the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption has not yet published its official decisions, these findings are greatly exacerbating political tensions. The possibility of early elections has now become real, despite Prime Minister Robert Golob‘s determination to see out his term.
Attacks on the Commission by people from Golob’s circles – both those who know the Prime Minister personally and those who work for the Slovenian Sovereign Holding (Slovenski državni holding – SDH) or know Damir Črnčec, indicate that tensions are high. They are also intensively attacking their rival on the left, Vladimir Prebilič, through their media outlets. Prebilič has not yet established his party, but has announced a founding congress for the 18th of October. The noose around Golob is tightening day by day, which means that he is no longer the trump card of the transitional left.
Criminal proceedings are also on the horizon
The Bobnar case dates back to 2022, when former Minister of the Interior, Tatjana Bobnar, filed a report with the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, alleging that Prime Minister Robert Golob had exerted undue pressure on the police in connection with alleged “Janšaist” (supporters of Janez Janša) influences in the security structures. In addition to electronic correspondence, these allegations were also supported by testimony indicating illegal interference in staffing. In August 2025, the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption prepared a draft decision confirming a violation of integrity rules, including illegal interference in the independence of institutions. On the basis of this evidence, it supported the continuation of the proceedings, which had been temporarily suspended beforehand.
A key turning point came in October 2025, when the Specialised State Prosecutor’s Office filed a request with the Ljubljana District Court for a judicial investigation against a natural person – unofficially, this person is Golob, who is suspected of giving gifts for illegal mediation under Article 264 of the Criminal Code. If the investigating judge accepts the request, Golob will become a defendant and the proceedings will turn into criminal proceedings.
An alleged violation was also found in the Karigador case
The Commission initiated the Karigador case in May 2025 on the basis of a preliminary investigation, which found reasonable suspicion of a violation of the Integrity and Prevention of Corruption Act due to a conflict of interest. The case concerns several free vacations taken by Golob and his partner, Tina Gaber, at the luxury villa of Croatian businessman Tomaž Subotič in 2023. At that time, Subotič was appointed to the supervisory boards of the Celje General Hospital and Ljubljana Psychiatric Clinic by Golob’s government. This raises doubts about the influence on public decisions.
In September 2025, the Commission sent a draft decision to the parties in this case. The decision indicates a violation, as Golob did not recuse himself from decisions related to Subotič, despite his legal obligation to do so. The investigation, led by the same senate as in the Bobnar case, focuses on a possible illegal gift.
When the investigation was launched, Golob denied any wrongdoing and attributed it to “media pressure,” changing his previous stance – he had once promised to resign if a violation was proven, but now he considers it insignificant.
Consequences for Golob and political implications
If the violations in both cases are officially confirmed, Golob faces fines and, above all, political consequences. In the Bobnar case, a criminal investigation could lead to a ban on holding public office for abuse of position, while in the Karigador case, the conflict of interest would undermine his credibility. The coalition partner parties (the Left – Levica; the Social Democrats – Socialni demokrati) are cautious, while the opposition is pushing for a constructive vote of no confidence. The sequence of events is leading to a 50 percent chance of early elections before the regular ones in 2026, as the collapse of the coalition or a court reversal would cause a government crisis.
A. H.
