Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Novo Mesto on Tuesday, demanding tougher public security measures from the Slovenian Government following the killing of a man allegedly by a member of the Roma community.
The incident, which occurred over the weekend, has reignited long-standing tensions between local residents and the Roma minority in southern Slovenia, where rising petty crime and violence have increasingly been blamed on the community.
Crowds filled the city center, many wearing black shirts reading “We Are All Aco,” in memory of Aleš Šutar, the victim of Saturday’s attack. When Prime Minister Robert Golob arrived to address the rally, he was met with whistles and chants of “Resign!”
Protesters demanded “radical measures” to restore public safety. In response, Golob promised a series of new initiatives—many of which appear to target the Roma community—such as:
- granting police the power to search homes without warrants,
- expanding authority in “high-risk areas”, and
- imposing stricter requirements for Roma access to social benefits.
“State institutions have failed; they did not ensure the safety of our citizens,” Golob said, calling the incident a “turning point for Slovenia.” He announced that the proposed law would soon be sent to parliament.
The attack has already led to the resignation of Slovenia’s interior and justice ministers.
However, Darko Rudaš, a member of the Slovenian Roma Council, warned that the government’s proposed response could worsen tensions rather than calm them.
“These measures will only fuel anti-Roma sentiment,” he told AFP, adding that local authorities have long neglected the living conditions and integration of Roma communities.
According to the Roma Council, around 15,000 Roma live in Slovenia, spread across roughly 100 settlements, only a third of which have access to basic services like water and electricity.
Human rights group Amnesty International condemned the attack but urged authorities not to exploit it to incite intolerance against the Roma population.
The protest was organized by Novo Mesto’s mayor, Gregor Macedoni, while Prime Minister Golob has already ordered the deployment of additional police units to Novo Mesto and the surrounding Dolenjska region.
Observers fear that the growing hostility could become a political tool ahead of Slovenia’s upcoming parliamentary elections in spring 2026.
