Slovenia reviews SKOK law to combat corruption and organized crime

The Slovenian parliamentary justice committee is set to review a proposal for the SKOK law, which aims to establish specialized bodies to combat high-level corruption, organized crime, and money laundering. The government, which approved the proposal on July 17, intends for the law to take effect on January 1, 2027, via an urgent procedure.

The proposed legislation includes increasing the number of specialized prosecutors, prioritizing corruption cases involving public officials, strengthening cooperation between the prosecution and police, and introducing a specialized court for the most complex cases. It also seeks to grant greater autonomy and efficiency to the specialized prosecution.

However, the proposal faces opposition from certain figures within politics, the judiciary, and the prosecution, who claim they were not involved in its preparation. These critics are requesting a delay in implementation until at least October 2027. The move comes as Slovenia faces challenges in combating economic crime, with estimates suggesting the country loses approximately 3.5 billion euros annually due to corruption and related activities.