Slovenian Court Clears Janez Jansa of Corruption Charges

A Slovenian court acquitted former Prime Minister Janez Jansa and two others of corruption charges. Jansa, an influential opposition leader, criticized the indictment as politically motivated. Despite previous convictions, his supporters celebrated the verdict as a step against judicial corruption, though Jansa warned the battle for justice continues.

A Slovenian court has acquitted Janez Jansa, the former three-time prime minister and a prominent opposition leader, of corruption charges, marking a significant moment in the Alpine nation's political landscape.

Jansa, who leads the Slovenian Democratic Party, criticized the prosecution as a politically motivated effort to sideline him ahead of the 2026 general election. Addressing a crowd of supporters in Celje, he described the judicial proceedings as farcical, despite the prosecutor seeking a two-year prison sentence.

The case involved alleged transactions related to a 2005 property sale during Jansa's first term as prime minister. Though previously sentenced in 2013 for bribery, Jansa maintains his innocence and views this recent ruling as a partial victory against corruption within the judiciary.

(With inputs from agencies.)