Brnik Airport security breach involves 18-month police impersonation

A man successfully impersonated a police officer for 18 months at Ljubljana’s Brnik Airport, participating in at least 16 official police operations between April 2024 and September 2025. The individual, a former airport security worker, used a falsified ID, a gas pistol, and equipment purchased online to pose as an assistant officer.

The breach has exposed significant security failures within the Slovenian police. Although authorities received credible information about the impersonation in late September 2025, no internal security procedures were initiated until the man was identified on October 15, after being spotted in photographs securing an airport accident scene.

Following an oversight report, several high-ranking officials faced consequences. The director of the Kranj Police Administration, Uroš Povalje, was dismissed, and the airport police commander, Jure Lešnjak, received a warning. The Specialized State Prosecutor's Office has filed charges against both the imposter and an official.