Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar injured in Kastelec tunnel crash, companion identified as Russian citizen

On 31 July 2026 a convoy carrying Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar was involved in a collision in the Kastelec tunnel on the Primorska highway. The president’s Mercedes‑Benz V 300 struck a preceding Audi, causing her minor injuries, including a broken key bone, while one of her two companions, Russian citizen Viktorija Krivoluckaja, suffered severe injuries and was hospitalized.

Police later confirmed Krivoluckaja’s nationality. The incident prompted the Slovenian Police Union to demand a thorough, impartial investigation and warned against prematurely blaming the driver. Former constitutional judge Peter Jambrek suggested the crash could raise constitutional questions and possibly lead to an indictment, while former SOVA director Andrej Rupnik criticised the secrecy surrounding the companions’ identities and highlighted security protocol lapses. The president’s office has refused to disclose the companions’ names, citing privacy, but the controversy has sparked a public debate over protection procedures for high‑ranking officials.