Slovenia’s election was already bitter, then an alleged Israeli spy operation changed everything

Slovenia’s election campaign has been jolted by allegations that private Israeli intelligence firm Black Cube interfered in the race. Slovenian law enforcement authorities claim operatives from the company flew into Ljubljana and carried out covert surveillance and wiretapping just before Sunday’s closely contested national election.

As reported by Politico Europe, authorities allege that Black Cube CEO Dan Zorella and Giora Eiland, a former head of Israel’s National Security Council, were among those arriving on a private jet in December. They are accused of helping leak recordings meant to damage Prime Minister Robert Golob’s government, with the tapes allegedly capturing discussions involving corruption, illegal lobbying, and misuse of state funds.

The timing has intensified the political stakes. Slovenia votes on Sunday in a tight race between the liberal Golob and right-wing populist Janez Janša, who currently holds a narrow lead, while both camps are trying to turn the tape scandal to their advantage.

The alleged operation has become central to the campaign

Golob said the involvement of a private intelligence agency from Israel raises serious concerns about the integrity of democratic processes in Slovenia. He added that any attempt by foreign actors to interfere in the election of a democratic European Union member state is unacceptable, amid device surveillance lobbying.

Slovenia’s state secretary for national and international security, Vojko Volk, said Black Cube representatives visited the country four times. He said that on December 11 a team including Zorella spent time on the street where Janša’s SDS party headquarters are located.

The Slovenian Intelligence and Security Agency, known as SOVA, also backed the claims of Black Cube interference, saying the operation was most likely commissioned from within Slovenia and describing Black Cube as a firm known for releasing fabricated material at carefully chosen moments. Volk said the activities may pose a threat to national security and influence democratic elections.

Janša has acknowledged meeting Eiland, although he said he cannot recall the specific date. He has also threatened legal action against activist Nika Kovač, who helped publish the initial report about Black Cube’s alleged visits, while the wider political climate has also included big tech handout scrutiny.

Kovač said she welcomed court proceedings that could clarify what Black Cube was doing in Slovenia and with whom. Janša’s party went further, suggesting that if Black Cube officials truly exposed corruption of “unimaginable proportions,” they deserved a monument.

Black Cube, founded in 2010 by veterans of the Israel Defense Forces, has faced scrutiny before over undercover operations, including work linked to Harvey Weinstein, a spying case in Romania, and activity targeting critics of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The firm has maintained that it always operates legally.

The election was already highly polarized before these allegations surfaced. Golob has cast the vote as a historic opportunity for stability and reform, while Janša’s allies have attacked his government over taxes and the economy, and Golob had already warned of what he described as organized hybrid warfare playing out on social media during the campaign.