WEBVTT

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Hello, this is a statement by State
Secretary for National Security

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Vojko Volk
who will explain the conclusions

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reached at today’s Secretariat of the
National Security Council. Go ahead.

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Thank you, Petra.

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The Director General of the Police

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at today’s meeting
of the Secretariat stated

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that the investigation report

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from an accredited foreign forensic
laboratory regarding the recordings

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that were publicly released
before the Slovenian elections

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has finally arrived.

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It was commissioned on March 18,
and arrived on May 18.

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The very next day, on May 19,
the Director of the Police reports

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an operational meeting was held
between police and the prosecution,

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which is directing
the pre-trial proceedings.

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The conclusion was

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that the investigation
should continue intensively,

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while the Secretariat of the
National Security Council

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called for the investigation
to proceed as quickly as possible,

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without interference, independently,
and of course professionally.

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Based on the information
known so far,

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as well as today’s discussion

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at the Secretariat
of the National Security Council,

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it derives very clearly

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that there are similarities
to cases known from abroad,

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where publicly presented
recordings were manipulated

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with the aim
of influencing elections or voters.

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The discussion also concluded

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that there are suspicions
of serious criminal offenses.

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Thank you very much. State Secretary,
please proceed. Questions.

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Good afternoon.
Miha Orešnik, N1.

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Mr. State Secretary,
can you confirm

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that this report, which came
from abroad, somehow showed

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that these recordings are authentic,
but edited together?

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And considering
what has been established so far,

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and also based
on experiences from abroad,

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is this something
on the basis of which

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the outcome of the
parliamentary elections

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in Slovenia could be challenged
or called into question?

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Let me repeat. It was
coordinated with all members

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of the Secretariat
of the National Security Council,

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and that is the key message today.

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The reason
why we are not saying anything more

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is, of course,
that the details of the report

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are under investigation and we want
this to be done as soon as possible.

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Due to the interest
of the investigation,

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and especially not to compromise it,

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I cannot say more.

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However, I did say
that from similar cases abroad,

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in at least five, six,
or even seven countries,

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these major similarities emerge,
including, among other things,

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that footage
that is several hours long,

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in the case
of one country even 32 hours,

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is released
in 8-minute segments.

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Now imagine that someone
manipulates this footage

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to serve the interests of the client
or whoever wants to influence

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someone to act in a way
that suits the client.

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So right now,
I really can't say more.

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But I have faith in law enforcement,
the police, and the prosecution,

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that, regardless
of the change in government,

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the work will continue smoothly,
independently, professionally,

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and above all quickly,

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because it's also important
that such influences,

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alleged foreign influences
on the elections in Slovenia

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be resolved quickly. We can't
live in uncertainty indefinitely.

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Next question.

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Nejc Furlan, TV Slovenia.
These recordings have been analysed.

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Were there any irregularities
in the process?

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Could we say with certainty
that professionals are behind this?

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I don't know.

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As I said, we're expecting
these results as soon as possible.

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I think we've been waiting quite
a while, but now they're here.

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Why do you think we had
to wait so long for these results?

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You'd have to ask the police,
and then the prosecution.

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Do you see the option
of a constitutional complaint

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as acceptable? The deadline
expires on Friday, the 22nd.

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Can we say with certainty

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that this was an attempt
to influence democratic elections?

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What I can tell you
as a national security advisor,

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who has been dealing with this
for three years now,

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and as a person who, in one way
or another, has been looking out

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for the national interests
of this country since day one,

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since part of a diplomat's job
is to protect national interests,

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I worked abroad for 21 years,

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I can tell you
that it's never a good thing.

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If political forces,
with the help of foreign countries,

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interfere in the internal affairs
of any country, including Slovenia,

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it never ends well for those
who have allowed it to happen.

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And I want this serious scandal,
this incident, if you will,

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to be investigated as soon
as possible, because we can't allow

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foreign agents of a foreign country
to investigate corruption here.

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That is our job, this country's,
the job of our police, prosecution,

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law enforcement agencies,
which, unfortunately,

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have not succeeded
in prosecuting corruption,

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they are not
effective enough.

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Corruption is rampant
in our country.

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There is an abundance of dirty
money flowing in from the Balkans.

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Money laundering
in Slovenia is rampant.

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And we will have
to deal with it ourselves,

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without foreign help. We don't
need it and I don't want it.

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Any more questions? STA.

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You mentioned
well-founded suspicions

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of serious criminal offenses.
Can you elaborate?

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Influence on the elections
and the will of the voters.

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Could you perhaps
also comment

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on the request
for a parliamentary inquiry

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into the intelligence gathering
in the Black Cube case?

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It's mentioned
that SOVA was allegedly misused.

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Could you comment on that?
-I can tell you my opinion.

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We haven't discussed it
at the Secretariat.

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My opinion is that the thief
should be investigated,

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not the victim.

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Thank you.
There are no more questions.

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Thank you for coming.
Goodbye.