The Minister of Interior was in Kranj today where a government session took place. From there she told reporters that she did not lead the police and that, in accordance with the law, does not interfere in police operations. There can be no guiding authority, if it is the prosecution that guides the police. The minister therefore stressed that the reactions are based on a non-understanding of the law.

At the same time minister Györkös Žnidar reiterated that she was in no way obligated to inform the President of the National Assembly or the government about the investigation. She said the law clearly specifies who is supposed to inform who in such cases. "It is interesting though that my predecessors were blamed for the opposite - that they excessively interfered in the work of the police. At one point there was also talk about abusing the police for political purposes," said Györkös Žnidar.

The National Assembly is not exempt from the law
The minister insisted that the police be allowed to do its work independently and that politics should not interfere in its work. She explained that the National Assembly was not exempt from the law. She also added that she does not see the house searches as an intrusion in the autonomy of the National Assembly. In addition, the searches won’t necessarily lead to the start of criminal proceedings.

"They are not untouchable"
Police Commissioner Marjan Fank was more direct and sharp in his response. He said the reactions of some politicians regarding the house searches were "nothing else than an attempt to influence the investigation and represent an intrusion of the legislative branch on executive power". "We will not give in to these or other kinds of political opinions, motivated by completely different reasons," Fank assured.

He also reminded that this was not the first investigation taking place in the National Assembly. The previous one was "labeled in all court proceedings as lawful". However, he concluded to say that the events of the past days are surely an attempt to put pressure on the investigators.

A. Č.; translated by K. J.