By SCM Reporter
SLOVENIA has sensationally ripped up its controversial ban on weapon sales to Israel and cleared the way for Benjamin Netanyahu to visit the country.
The defense ministry in Ljubljana announced yesterday that the strict export and transit restrictions—slapped on Israel just last year—are “no longer necessary.”
In a dramatic double-whammy, the newly formed government has also axed an entry ban that previously blocked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and two of his top ministers from stepping foot on Slovenian soil.
The massive policy flip-flop comes just weeks after a fiery political shake-up in the Balkan nation.
Slovenia made history in July 2025 under former left-leaning Prime Minister Robert Golob, becoming the first-ever European Union nation to freeze military imports from Israel and block weapon transit through its territory.
But that policy was completely torpedoed this month after right-wing veteran Janez Janša won a dramatic vote of confidence in parliament to form a new government.
Janša, a well-known ally of Netanyahu, has wasted no time in aligning Slovenia back with traditional Western allies, completely reversing his predecessor’s hostile stance in a move expected to send shockwaves through Brussels.
The Political Pivot: The reversal is entirely driven by a sharp change in Slovenia’s leadership. Former PM Robert Golob’s coalition was deeply critical of Israel’s military actions, leading to the July 2025 embargo.
Conversely, the incoming PM, Janez Janša, is a staunch conservative who has historically maintained close personal and political ties with Benjamin Netanyahu and favors a strongly pro-Israel foreign policy.
EU Fractures: Slovenia’s 2025 ban was a major diplomatic headache for the European Union, exposing deep divisions among member states regarding the Middle East.
While countries like Ireland and Spain have pushed for tougher stances against Israel, others like Germany, Austria, and now Janša’s Slovenia stand firmly behind Jerusalem.
The lifted entry ban on Netanyahu and his ministers was a highly unusual move for an EU state. It was originally implemented by the previous Slovenian government as a symbolic enforcement of international pressure.
By lifting it immediately upon taking power, Janša is signaling that Slovenia is once again “open for business” and direct diplomatic engagement with Israel’s current leadership.