There are multiple groups and organisations within Slovenia which are or have been engaged in far-right political activity, and right-wing extremism. Their political activity has traditionally opposed and targeted socially progressive policies, and minorities (in particular; the LGBT community, and ethnic minorities like the Roma and immigrants (particularly those from the Southern Balkans), and espoused traditional ultraconservative and reactionary views and values. More recently, a rise in new, incipient alt-right groups has been noted, particularly as a reaction to the European migrant crisis. While far-right actors have been responsible for multiple acts of violent extremism in Slovenia it is a relatively minor issue in the country.
Overview.
The far-right groups and subcultures in Slovenia have traditionally been largely impenetrable to uninitiated observers, existing in closed communities into which new members would need to be initiated, or "grandfathered", into. Their internal discussions have been said to take place mostly online, where the members revealed their "true faces", and where members arranged group events, while tamer discussions take place on Facebook.
Historical overview.
During the 2000s, police statistics indicated a spike in "criminal acts involving public promotion of hatred, violence, or intolerance", with 5 incidents in the year 2000, up to 13 in 2005, and 19 in 2008.
On September 6, 2011, prime minister Borut Pahor was briefed by the head of the Slovenian Intelligence and Security Agency (SOVA) regarding the activities of extremist groups (in particular, Blood &amp; Honour), which, according to the agency's assessment, presented a clear and present danger to national security.
Violent extremism nonetheless remains a relatively minor threat in Slovenia.
Neo-Nazism and neo-Nazi groups.
As of 2010, the most active neo-Nazi groups in Slovenia included: Blood &amp; Honour (B &amp; H), Headhunters Domžale, and Slovene Radicals. Neo-Nazi social activity has mostly centered in the cities of Domžale, and Žiri, where members own or have access to venues available for staging various group activities (including annual celebrations of Hitler's birthday). Neo-Nazis have also established cordial relations with their foreign counterparts, mainly those from neighbouring countries. Though neo-Nazi groups are not on the whole more common than in other countries and represent a relatively low security risk, the tolerant attitude of the authorities towards neo-Nazi-organised events has led to a boom in private neo-Nazi social gatherings such as parties and concerts; because such activities are not prohibited by law "per se", Slovenia has become "a veritable Mecca for international activity and cooperation of extremists", according to a parliamentary investigative committee looking into the matter.
Blood &amp; Honour.
As of 2005, the Slovene B &amp; H was operating a webpage (registered offshore to avoid domain seizure), promulgating neo-Nazi ideology. Their online activities have included compiling a list of Jewish residents of Slovenia. After the international B &amp; H computer network was infiltrated by hackers and the data made available to the public, it was revealed that the Slovenian B &amp; H faction was one of the most numerous and active, with membership comparable to that of Spain (which has a population 20 times that of Slovenia). B &amp; H was active primarily in the central region of Slovenia, and generated revenue by staging concerts for their German counterparts. In October 2011 and November 2012, the Slovene branch celebrated its 10th and 11th anniversaries, respectively, with events in Domžale, and in Ljubljana (2011 only). Both events had attracted international attendance.
At least two members of B &amp; H (including a leader of the Slovene B &amp; H) were identified as members of the Slovenian Democratic Party youth wing. B &amp; H members have also included Slovene army soldiers. B &amp; H members have also been known to have attended SDS events on multiple occasions, and to have met with high ranking SDS politicians.
In September 2011, prime minister Borut Pahor was briefed by the head of the Slovenian Intelligence and Security Agency (SOVA), which assessed that extremist groups – Blood &amp; Honour, in particular – presented a clear and present danger to national security. B &amp; H members allegedly received training by members of the Slovene armed forces (including by ranking members) on an army training area and with advanced weaponry, borrowed army weaponry (a rocket launcher), attempted to purchase handguns, pressured detectives and individual politicians, were involved in direct correspondence with Norwegian terrorist and mass murderer Anders Breivik by both mail and e-mail, with multiple B &amp; H members receiving his manifesto before Breivik's killing spree, and were allegedly intimately implicated in orchestrating the violent riots which took place amid the 2012–13 Slovenian protests (the organised group of violent agitators that disrupted a major protest in Ljubljana was also suspected of having been trained, hired, and compensated, possibly by a political party, according to police sources).
A police officer who served as bodyguard to Slovene prime ministers Janez Janša and Borut Pahor was found to be a close acquaintance of the leading members of the Slovene B &amp; H. The individual was also an observing member ("sympathiser") of SDS.
SDS has been criticised for alleged links to Blood &amp; Honour. The journalist who uncovered the links (Anuška Delić) was charged with leaking confidential information. The state intelligence agency, SOVA, headed by an SDS appointee at the time of the indictment, inadvertently confirmed allegations made by Delić by stating that the information revealed in the reports was consistent with findings of an ongoing investigation into the activities of the violent extremist group. SOVA argued that the information revealed in the reports could not have been obtained by any other means than by gaining access to information collected during the agency's covert investigations, and that the publication disrupted its efforts to monitor the group by alerting B &amp; H of the monitoring efforts. Delić alleged the charges were "politically motivated".
Far-right groups and organisations.
Skinheads.
Slovene skinheads were initially (at the close of the 1980s) – as was the case in other countries – mostly "beer drinkers, party-goers, fighters, sports fans, patriots, and anti-communists", before becoming an almost exclusively "Nazi and racist" subculture during the 90s. Skinheads became less publicly prominent and less violent during the 2000s, and mostly engaged in organising Nazi rock or "Oi!" concerts, and group events where members partook in various social and sports activities (e.g. air gun tournaments). Their subculture was rooted in interpersonal and social connections, with a distinct dichotomy between the younger, and older members (who were less political). While Nazism remained their core ideology, skinheads began to establish international contacts and connections, with their ideological focus shifting from ultra-nationalism to white nationalism, resulting in the rise of membership among Slovene skinheads in the Slovene chapter of Blood &amp; Honour (a British-based group). Neo-Nazi groups conversely also gradually diversified their membership and shifted their image away from "Nazi skins" to expand their appeal.
Football hooligans.
There is considerable overlap between Slovene sports fan groups or ultras and far-right political groups; football hooligans – particularly members of the Green Dragons (FC Ljubljana supporters), and Viole (FC Maribor supporters) are often involved in far-right political ideology and activity, and incidents of far-right political violence. Neo-Nazism began to take root in these fan groups after the year 2005. In 2016, both the GDs and Viole were sanctioned for displaying hateful symbols during a game, the former a "Slavic swastika", and the latter a Celtic cross.
Tukaj je Slovenija.
"Tukaj je Slovenija" (literal translation: "Here Is Slovenija") was a far-right organisation that operated a popular now defunct far-right website and web forum (starting in October 2005). The group was particularly successful in recruiting youths, and especially active in the dissemination of its characteristic stickers. By 2007, the group was said to have "recently" disseminated 10,000 such stickers throughout the whole of Slovenia. The stickers even appeared in Croatia.
Autonomous Nationalists of Slovenia.
The Autonomous Nationalists of Slovenia – the Slovene faction of the Autonome Nationalisten neo-Nazi groups constellation – were an alt-right group active during the early 2010s. The group operated a webpage and engaged in dissemination of posters and graffiti containing ideological propaganda. It focused on "defending the white race", espousing white nationalism, and xenophobia. The group also opposes "immigration, islamisation of Europe, homosexual families, alcohol and drug abuse, violence against animals [...] capitalism, liberalism, democracy, communism, and anarchy", abortion, and environmentalism. The group's communiqués featured a Celtic cross (which the group has adopted as its symbol) "embellished" with the White Pride World Wide motto.
Members of the group allegedly shouted "Down with the government, for Slovenia!" while performing the Nazi salute during a 2011 demonstration in front of the parliament building. The group disseminated posters opposing a new family law bill that was up for a referendum challenge in 2012. The posters variously included a picture of two male exhibitionists engaging in a sex act with the underlying message reading "UNACEPTABLE Would you leave your children's upbringing up to people like this? [...] Let's protect our children and not allow them to become 'playthings' of perverts. [...]", or a Nazi propaganda image portraying an "ideal" Aryan family while blaming "abortions and same-sex partnerships" for a low birth rate and alleged poor health of the nation. The Slovene Autonomous Nationalists were suspected of also having been intimately involved in orchestrating the violent disruption and subsequent riot during a 2012 Ljubljana protest (the Autonomous Nationalist groups are characteristed by their embrace of black bloc protest tactics more typically associated with violent far-left extremist protesters).
Radical Ljubljana.
Radical Ljubljana was a "radical right" "urban nationalist" group espousing "Pan-Slavism" (towards which it evolved from a "pro-Germanic" ideology, according to representatives of the group), and opposed to "the LGBTQ community, the left, refugees, and immigrants". Its representative told the media that they desired to distance themselves from other far-right groups which they perceived as "neo-Nazis". Nonetheless, experts believe Radical Ljubljana still represents a "neo-fascist" and "neo-Nazi" group. The group is mostly involved in online political activity and drawing political graffiti. The group's Facebook site has rallied against "western liberals and Marxists" that finance "various degenerate movements and phenomena in Eastern Europe", and also contains instances of homophobia and anti-Semitism.
Generation Identity Slovenia.
Activity of the Slovene branch of the far-right and alt-right Identitarian movement began to mount months prior to the 2018 Slovenian parliamentary election. The local branch – Generation Identity Slovenia – rallies against "migrants, homosexuals, liberals, globalists, Soros, and socialists". Information regarding the group – its leadership, membership, and internal structure – remains sparse. The group operates in Ljubljana, Maribor, and Velenje, and appears to share members with the two largest sports fan groups; Green Dragons, and Viole. The organisation also maintains close relations with counterparts in other countries, in particular, Austria (with Slovene members partaking in events of Austrian Identitarians). Past activities of the group have included propagation of political stickers, signs, and graffiti, photo-ops with political undertones or implicit messaging, and social media activity. The members of the Slovene branch have also attended protests (in particular; against LGBT rights, migrants, and the construction of a mosque), and camping excursions where members "bond in paramilitary training".
The Slovene Identitarian movement has fostered ties with the Slovenian Democratic Party. Individuals and media organisations associated with SDS have lauded the movement, and SDS members and politicians have co-attended events with, and shared social media posts of the movement. Observers have also noted that SDS leader Janez Janša adopted some of the rhetoric associated with the Identitarian movement in his speeches/public appearances. SDS organised a round table discussion about migrations in collaboration with GI.
In late August 2018, Slovene Identitarians anonymously published a book; the "Manifesto for the Homeland". The work was published under the auspices of (Slovene for 'new horizons'), the SDS in-house publishing company. The book was also promoted by SDS-affiliated media organisations and individuals, including SDS leader Janez Janša, with SDS MP Žan Mahnič even going so far as to post on Twitter a photo of the book taken from his parliamentary seat, with the floor of the parliamentary chamber in the background. The book's foreword was written by Bernard Brščič, an "important SDS supporter" who has served as state secretary in the second Janša (SDS) cabinet and as chair of the party's think tank (Jože Pučnik Institute). Nova obzorja subsequently also published a second GI's book. GI was promoted by Nova24TV (a TV channel tied to SDS), which aired an ad for GI and its books during an interview with PM Janša.
Institute for Patriotic Values.
The Institute for Patriotic Values was founded in late 2016 as an "institution