In a letter dated Wednesday, 18 March, that was addressed to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and forwarded to President of the European Council António Costa, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob reported that “a grave instance of foreign [...] interference” in the election campaign is currently being carried out in his country by the private Israeli intelligence company Black Cube.
Slovenia’s intelligence agency has confirmed that Black Cube representatives have visited the country four times in the last six months. According to Mr Golob, these individuals are engaging in “mercenary surveillance”, using fake LinkedIn profiles and false identities to trap politicians when they are having meetings abroad.
The aim of this “smear” campaign is reportedly to undermine citizens’ trust by spreading trumped-up corruption allegations that have been strategically synchronised with the upcoming parliamentary elections, which are scheduled to take place Sunday, 22 March. Mr Golob reminds them that Black Cube has already conducted similar operations in Hungary and in Romania, targeting [European Chief] Prosecutor Laura Codruța Kövesi.
Describing the matter as a “hybrid threat” and concerned about the precedents already observed, the prime minister is thus calling for the European Centre for Democratic Resilience—operational since last month—to immediately assess the situation. This issue is, in his opinion, a major test for the new ‘European Democracy Shield’ against foreign non-state actors.
Link to Robert Golob’s letter: https://aeur.eu/f/laq (Original version in French by Justine Manaud)