The Slovenia Times

Supreme Court Gives Janša Appeal Priority Status

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Supreme Court president Branko Masleša has instructed the judge dealing with Janša's appeal on a point of law, filed only days before his imprisonment on 20 June, to focus solely on this case, suspending all other proceedings, the court said in a press release.

The six judges of the criminal law department of the Supreme Court are currently dealing with a total of 142 appeals on a point of law, 26 of which have been designated to the judge in question, the court explained.

The judge must start working intensively on the matter without any procrastination, the press release says, while failing to announce any possible dates for the conclusion. "The pace of the procedure depends exclusively on the findings and decisions of the judge rapporteur."

The recently-established committee for the prevention of abuse of the judiciary and the right-leaning outfit Assembly for the Republic today called on the Supreme Court once again to suspends Janša's imprisonment immediately.

Meanwhile, Janša's supporters continue to step up pressure, as several hundred people gathered today in front of the Supreme Court building, lighting candles and calling on Supreme Court president Masleša to "come out and explain why Janša is in prison", according to the SDS Twitter account.

The presidency of the European People's Party (EPP), the largest political grouping in the European Parliament, also expressed concern over Janša's imprisonment last week. According to the party, this "may have an impact in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Slovenia".

This drew a reaction from MEP Tanja Fajon of the Social Democrats (SD/S&D), who said today that the statement from the EPP "represents political pressure on the Slovenian judiciary and public". The EPP is not a factor which could or should dictate dates to the court, she added.

Janša started serving the two-year prison sentence at Dob prison on 20 June. He was found guilty of accepting the offer of a bribe in his capacity as PM from Finnish company Patria in exchange for a EUR 278m defence deal in 2006.

The case is however not completely closed. Before the ruling was challenged at the Supreme Court. Janša's appeal was rejected by the Constitutional Court, because the SDS head failed to exhaust all legal remedies first.

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