Ljubljana - The Foreign Ministry has launched an internal inquiry against Ambassador to the US Tone Kajzer, who is suspected of having leaked an internal cable to Democrat (SDS) leader Janez Janša, a close political ally of his, Delo reports on Tuesday. If he is found guilty, he could be recalled.

Th inquiry concerns the screenshot of a cable that Janša posted on Twitter at the beginning of September containing internal instructions to embassies to publish the address where voters can send signatures in support of presidential candidate Nataša Pirc Musar.

Whereas this is a standard procedure that even the SDS had used in the past, Janša framed the cable as an attempt by the government to help Pirc Musar, an allegation that his party and media affiliated close to the SDS have also levelled against Interior Minister Tatjana Bobnar.

The ministry suspects Kajzer took a photo of the cable at the Slovenian Embassy in Washington, DC, and called him in for questioning. He was at the ministry yesterday, according to Delo.

The ministry told the paper it was investigating suspected abuse in the handling of ministry documents and would take action if any violations are detected.

Prime Minister Robert Golob has been informed about the case and has asked Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon to initiate a recall if the abuse can be proved, Delo says.

According to law, an ambassador is recalled by the president of the republic at the proposal of the government.

Kajzer is a close ally of Janša's. He served as state secretary at the Foreign Ministry before being named ambassador at the end of 2020. In the second Janša government he served as a state secretary at the prime minister's office.