The law provides criminal and civil penalties for corruption, conflicts of interest, and illegal lobbying by officials. The government did not implement the law effectively, and officials sometimes engaged in corrupt practices with impunity. According to World Bank indicators, corruption continued to be a problem. Although the criminal justice system continued its efforts to detect, investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate high-level corruption cases, the law lacks proper enforcement mechanisms and resources.
Corruption: In 2013 a report by the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (CPC) accusing then prime minister Jansa and the mayor of Ljubljana, Zoran Jankovic, of financial wrongdoing and failure to disclose financial assets eventually led to Jansa’s loss of office and the freezing of Jankovic’s presidency of his party. Prosecutors filed charges against Jansa during the year in connection with alleged improprieties over a property sale in Trenta.
In 2013 in a separate case, a court sentenced former prime minister Jansa and two codefendants to two years in prison and fined him 37,000 euros ($46,300). An appellate court upheld the conviction, and Jansa started his two-year sentence on June 20. Despite his conviction Jansa won re-election to parliament in the July 13 elections after the State Election Commission found no legal barrier to his campaign for public office. On October 15, parliament stripped Jansa of his status as a member of parliament. Jansa’s appeal to the Supreme Court was rejected, but the Constitutional Court temporarily suspended the parliament’s decision. He was then allowed to participate in parliamentary sessions on a “work release” status. On December 12, the Constitutional Court released Jansa pending the final decision on his appeal.
The National Investigation Bureau, the Specialized Prosecution Service, and the CPC have responsibilities for combating corruption. The CPC played an active role in educating the public and civil servants about corruption. It is independent of both the executive and the legislative branches. The body’s claims to lack sufficient legislative authorities to fulfill its mandate and investigate corruption allegations prompted the CPC’s three-member presidency to resign in December 2013. On March 1, the three presidents officially left office. President Pahor appointed new CPC leadership on March 31 and June 16. Some commentators criticized the incoming president of the CPC, Boris Stefanec, for his close ties to a political party.
By the end of the year, the CPC received 686 new reports and claims of corruption and issued 890 legal opinions, explanations, and answers to public and private sector entities. The CPC also completed the proceedings of 489 reports of suspicions of corrupt practices and other violations of the Integrity and Prevention of Corruption Act. The CPC initiated 60 misdemeanor procedures for violations of the act and continued to offer guidance regarding possible corruption, integrity, lobbying, and conflict of interest. It undertook appropriate measures, such as filing charges, issuing civil and administrative fines, principled opinions, or findings in concrete cases, and it requested annulment of business transactions, warnings, or recommendations.
The CPC focused on the fight against systemic corruption as well as preventive anticorruption measures. It sought to increase transparency in contacts between politicians and the business community.
Financial Disclosure: Only the highest-level officials in the government, parliament, and judiciary, or approximately 5,000 of the country’s 80,000 public employees, are subject to financial disclosure laws. These requirements do not apply to spouses and represent a frequently exploited loophole. The CPC monitors financial disclosures of government officials, and they become public record. The CPC can issue advisory opinions regarding prosecution.
Public Access to Information: The law provides free public access to all government information, and the government provided such access to both citizens and noncitizens, including foreign media.