Slovenian State Secretary Damijan Jaklin Faces Corruption Probe

Slovenian specialised state prosecution is investigating state secretary Damijan Jaklin, who heads the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, on suspicion of receiving more than €60,000 in cash through fictitious contracts, straw companies and alleged bribes such as LEGO toys. The probe also looks at possible money‑laundering and abuse of office linked to a municipal water‑works project.

Jaklin publicly denied all wrongdoing, stating he has "a clear conscience" and will not resign. He said he does not know the details of the criminal complaint, although he confirmed he was questioned by investigators in April 2023. The investigation follows earlier accusations that Jaklin may have manipulated a public tender for freight‑vehicle procurement worth about €20 million, favoring a specific company, but no disciplinary action has been taken.

The case has drawn attention to alleged corruption within Slovenia’s ruling parties and raised calls for stricter enforcement of the country’s zero‑tolerance policy on public‑sector misconduct.