Prime Minister Golob: People have the right to safety

Prime Minister Robert Golob, Minister of Justice Andreja Katič, and Minister of the Interior Boštjan Poklukar talk to the press. | Author Daniel Novakovič, STA

In a statement to the media following the meeting, Prime Minister Golob said that the death of a father and husband due to a violent attack should never have happened. "The two ministers responsible for the key areas concerned took political responsibility and offered their resignations. I have accepted both. Tomorrow, I will inform the National Assembly and, in the coming days, propose a new Minister of the Interior and Minister of Justice," said the Prime Minister.

"People have the right to safety. That right was not upheld yesterday, and that is unacceptable," added the Prime Minister, who had received a report on the incident, which was subsequently presented by the Director General of the Police.

"I extend my sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased. The perpetrator, who has already been apprehended by the police, will be held accountable for his actions. What happened is a horrific tragedy," the Prime Minister stated.

"I know that today we all feel sadness, anger and even fear. That is understandable. But we must not allow this pain to turn into revenge or hatred. That would only deepen the wounds and tear society apart. There is no place in our society for exploiting this tragedy to spread hatred, sow division or incite people to take matters into their own hands," said the Prime Minister.

He added: "I ask everyone, especially all political leaders, to refrain from such statements and thus help to calm the situation. I call on all citizens: let us turn our pain into solidarity with the victim's family."

Minister of Justice Andreja Katič extended her condolences to the family, friends, the community and the entire town of Novo mesto. "Violence should be condemned in the strongest terms. I have decided to take political responsibility and offer my resignation as Minister of Justice. By resigning, I also wish to help calm the situation. We are all filled with sadness and anger, but it is the police and the prosecution who must ensure order and safety, and they must carry out their work professionally, independently and in cooperation with each other, without excuses. As for the reactions and calls of others, I will only say this: everyone must reflect on their own responsibility. I have," said Minister Katič.

Minister of the Interior Boštjan Poklukar also began by expressing his condolences to the family, relatives and friends of the deceased. "Yesterday's attack in front of a bar in Novo mesto was an unacceptable act. I took political responsibility and submitted my resignation to the Prime Minister this morning," he said. "I once again strongly condemn yesterday's incident. Any violence in society is utterly unacceptable. For that reason as well, I take full political responsibility and submit my resignation."

Director General of the Police Damjan Petrič stated that in the early morning hours of 25 October the police were notified of a fight at a bar in which a 48-year-old man was injured. "Despite the immediate intervention of police officers and paramedics, the man died in hospital in the evening due to severe injuries," said Director General Petrič, extending his deepest condolences, both personally and on behalf of the police, to all the relatives and friends. "This is a tragic and unacceptable incident, which once again reminds us that violence has no place - and must never have a place - in our society. Every life is precious. The police immediately launched an intensive forensic investigation, carried out a scene examination, gathered information, secured the traces found and sent them for analysis. On the same day, a 21-year-old suspect was identified, located and detained on suspicion of committing a criminal offence against life and limb. The investigation into the circumstances and motive of the act is still ongoing. All findings will be reported to the competent State Prosecutor's Office," the Director General of the Police reported.

"The police in the Novo mesto and throughout the country work every day to ensure the safety of the public through a range of activities. We are aware that security challenges are changing, which is why we continuously adapt our work - from redeploying police officers to strengthening cooperation with local communities and other institutions," said Petrič. He added that a special unit operates within the Novo mesto Police Directorate, giving priority to criminal offences that pose the greatest threat to residents' sense of safety. "We understand the public's concern, but I would like to stress that recently the police have successfully investigated all the most serious criminal offences. We call on the public to immediately inform the police by dialling 113 if they observe violence or other criminal conduct. Only together can we maintain a safe environment in which people can live without fear," the Director General of the Police emphasised. He further stated that the police would continue to take firm action against all forms of violence and remain steadfast in their core mission: to protect life, to prevent violence, and to strengthen trust between people and the police.

State Secretary for National and International Security Vojko Volk stated that the National Security Council Secretariat met with stakeholders today and adopted certain proposals. "These proposals aim to ensure an immediate response and to demonstrate our determination to bring the situation under control and restore the public's sense of safety. We will do everything possible, both at the expert level and within law enforcement, within the framework of the existing legislation. In the medium term, both experts and policymakers will also need to take the steps which, in light of yesterday's events, have clearly become an urgent necessity," he said.

The State Secretary then presented the proposals adopted today. "We will propose that the Novo mesto Police Directorate be reinforced with police officers from other parts of Slovenia, that the police presence be significantly increased, and that, if necessary, the special police unit with specific powers to combat organised crime be deployed. A coordination group will be established to direct field operations in the coming period, and we have decided that, for the time being, this role will be assumed by the operational task force of the National Security Council Secretariat, simply because it already includes all the key interministerial stakeholders. We will, however, expand it to include others who have expressed interest. We will meet weekly, hear reports from the competent authorities, and provide guidance on the way forward," he said.