He said that party members were shocked, but united in their support for former Prime Minister Janša, who is facing two years in prison for accepting a promise of a bribe in 2006 deal with from Finnish contractor Patria.

Not only is the SDS united in its support for Janša, Černač expects the party membership to increase by a few thousand or "10,000 people", as many expressed the wish to join today.

Talking to the press after a meeting of the party's executive committee, Černač said the ruling would be overturned either by a higher court or by a foreign court.

The defendant was not able to defend himself because there was no evidence, said Černač, adding that this scenario was known and could be expected. He added that Janša has not yet commented on the ruling because he was yet to receive it.

Černač added that Janša had been wrongfully convicted 25 years ago in what was a different state and a different regime.

"Based on that ruling, which was also unjust and later overturned, massive changes took place in the country," he said, referring to a court martial trial against Janša in 1988 that proved a catalyst for the democratic movement.

"If the second unjust ruling contributes to the repairing of the rest of what should have been repaired 25 years ago, then this ruling is not entirely bad," said Černač.

Touching on the brewing crisis in the ruling Positive Slovenia (PS), Černač said that the ever more likely early election would pose no problem for the SDS. He did however not say whether Janša would stand in an early parliamentary election.

Janša was found guilty of corruption by a first instance court in June 2013 alongside two other defendants. The defendants appealed but the first instance ruling was upheld by the Higher Court