Pre-investigation proceedings over suspicion of confidential data leak from parliamentary commission of National Assembly
Police are conducting pre-investigation proceedings in connection with alleged leaking of secret data from a parliamentary investigative commission of the National Assembly. Vesna Vuković denies criminal investigation against her.
Police confirm pre-investigation proceedings, names not disclosed
Criminal investigators from the Criminal Police Sector of the Novo Mesto Police Administration are conducting pre-investigation proceedings on suspicion of a criminal offence prosecuted ex officio. This was confirmed by police in response to questions from the Google News SI — Crime portal (sl), which verified whether law enforcement authorities are investigating former general secretary of the Svoboda Movement Vesna Vuković and former expert associate of the parliamentary investigative commission Tomaž Modic.
Police clarified that they cannot provide information about concrete individuals due to personal data protection. The proceedings are directed by the competent District State Prosecutor's Office in Ljubljana. Due to the interests of the pre-investigation proceedings at this stage, no additional details were disclosed.
Background: wiretaps and confidential data from the commission
Shortly before this year's parliamentary elections, audio recordings of wiretaps were published on the Facebook page Maske padajo, among which Vuković was also caught. In a conversation with MP Tamara Vonto, she commented on the work of the parliamentary investigative commission regarding allegedly illegal financing of political parties — a commission with which the Svoboda Movement intended to settle accounts with Janez Janša.
In the recording, Vuković said among other things: "And you know that I have daily insight into what is happening there... And instead of them filing criminal charges against me, doing proper things, for example investigating why Možina received a payment of 250 to 350 thousand euros."
The words referred to TVS journalist Jože Možina, whose income was allegedly to be examined by the investigative commission within the scope of its work.
Association of Journalists and Publicists requested investigation, police respond half a year later
The Association of Journalists and Publicists (ZNP) immediately called on police and the prosecutor's office to investigate following the disclosure of the recordings. In a public statement they wrote: "Vuković, without being authorised to do so, unlawfully gained access to confidential data from the parliamentary investigative commission and personal data of persons it was investigating, whilst unknown officials in the commission unlawfully enabled her access."
ZNP assessed that these were suspicions of criminal offences of disclosure of secret data, abuse of personal data and abuse of official position. Since almost half a year had passed since the call, the portal checked the status of the proceedings.
Secure room and access to secret data
Secret data obtained by a parliamentary commission can be reviewed in the so-called secure room of the National Assembly only by precisely defined persons — commission members, their expert staff and public employees of the National Assembly. The National Assembly clarified that access to secret data from the investigated commission took place in the period from 6 February 2023 to 8 April 2026.
When asked whether police checked at the National Assembly who entered the secure room, parliament responded that disclosure of this data could endanger the interests of the investigation and the integrity of investigative actions of the competent authorities. By this they indirectly confirmed that pre-investigation proceedings relating to the leak of data from the secure room are underway.
Tomaž Modic was Vuković's long-standing close journalistic collaborator, so according to source estimates he was the most likely channel for the leak of confidential data from the commission.
Vuković denies investigation, does not answer part of questions
Vesna Vuković clarified that no criminal investigation is being conducted against her. When asked about Jože Možina's income, she responded that it is publicly available data: "According to AJPES data, journalist Jože Možina of the public institution RTV Slovenija, as a self-employed businessman in 2021 and 2022, earned approximately 330 thousand euros."
It is true that this data is publicly available, but it is not known who the payer was and what services the receipts were intended for. The investigative commission apparently ordered access to individual transactions of the journalist.
Regarding possible receipt of confidential data, Vuković responded: "I never received any secret or otherwise protected data from members and expert associates of the parliamentary investigative commission of the National Assembly. In my then role, which I have not held since April 2024, I followed the work of all parliamentary investigative commissions via the third programme of TV Slovenija."
She also emphasised that these were unlawful and partly falsified wiretaps, which according to her words is already the subject of a separate criminal investigation.
On the direct question of whether police conducted an informational interview with her — which sources close to police circles confirmed — Vuković did not answer. She merely repeated that no criminal investigation is being conducted against her.
Modic: rejects any suggestion of passing on data
Tomaž Modic, former expert associate of the commission, firmly rejected any suggestions: "I firmly reject any suggestions that I would pass on secret data or other information to anyone that I obtained in the course of my work for the parliamentary investigative commission of the National Assembly. In my work I consistently respected the legislation in the field of protection of secret data. I have no information that police are investigating this matter."
The pre-investigation proceedings thus remain underway, whilst police and the state prosecutor's office for reasons of caution do not disclose the names of suspects or details of the course of the investigation.
Source: Google News SI — Crime (sl)