Slovenian Speaker Zoran Stevanović Convicted for 2003 Threat

Zoran Stevanović, currently president of Slovenia’s State Assembly and leader of the Resnica party, was found guilty of threatening a person’s safety in 2003. The Radovljica district court ruled that, as a police officer, he threatened to destroy and shoot the victim near a hotel, constituting a criminal offense of endangering personal safety. He was fined 150,000 tolar and ordered to pay court costs.

The conviction, obtained by journalists from N1 and 24 ur through an information‑commissioner request, had been disclosed during the previous parliamentary‑election campaign but was reiterated following the court’s decision. Stevanović has denied the allegations, claiming the accusations were false and that he does not recall the incident. The court noted mitigating factors such as his lack of prior convictions at the time, while also noting aggravating circumstances linked to the victim’s complaints about police conduct.

The ruling raises questions about Stevanović’s suitability for leading the highest legislative body, a point highlighted by opposition parties and civil‑society observers.