Terrorism threat level: MEDIUM

At its meeting on 7 October 2024, the Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Counter-Terrorism adopted a new assessment of terrorism threat to the Republic of Slovenia. The assessment remains at the previously defined MEDIUM level (the third of five levels). The competent authorities involved in the work of the Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Counter-Terrorism consider that the terrorism threat level is appropriate in view of the current heightened security situation in Europe and the Middle East and the numerous calls by terrorist organisations to carry out terrorist and other violent acts in Western countries. While the competent authorities involved in the work of the Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Counter-Terrorism have no information on terrorism threats to the Republic of Slovenia, they cannot rule out the possibility of incidents.

About the Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Counter-Terrorism

On 26 April 2017, the Slovenian Government at its 132nd regular session adopted a Decision on the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Counter-Terrorism, formalising the work and activities that had previously taken place within the Counter-Terrorism Working Group, a subgroup of the Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Combating Transnational Threats within the National Security Council Secretariat. In 2004, following the terrorist attacks in Madrid, the Counter-Terrorism Working Group started to draw up an Assessment of Terrorism Threat to the Republic of Slovenia.

A five-level model for determining terrorism threat

The Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Counter-Terrorism uses a five-level model for determining the terrorism threat level to Slovenia, which was adopted in 2016 after a transition from the previous three-level model (applicable since 2004).

The terrorism threat level is determined on the basis of the geographical area and the risk of occurrence and on the basis of an assessment of the influence of terrorist activities in other areas on the security of Slovenia. The area of occurrence means the area in which a terrorist act has taken place or where there is a risk of such an act being committed. The risk of an occurrence is assessed on the basis of a matrix for assessing the risk of occurrence from the perspective of the activities of terrorist groups or individuals, taking into account indicators related to the intention to carry out, the capabilities of, and the activities and preparations for terrorist activities. The Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Counter-Terrorism also points out that, due to the nature of terrorism, a violent terrorist act may be carried out independently of the current terrorism threat level and without prior warning.