A trial court in Ljubljana on Wednesday sentenced opposition leader and former prime minister Janez Jansa to two years' imprisonment for unlawful mediation in the purchase of Finnish company Patria's armoured vehicles for the Slovenian Army.
Slovenian Army Brigadier Tone Krkovic and Rotis company owner Ivan Crnkovic were sentenced to 22 months' imprisonment each. All three were also fined EUR 37,000 each.
Under the indictment, Jansa accepted a promise of a reward from Patria's intermediaries if the company landed a deal to equip the Slovenian Army. During the trial, he denied all charges, saying the indictment was political and that if found guilty, he was ready to go to the European Court of Human Rights.
Rotis was Patria's subcontractor in Slovenia and under the indictment, its owner, Crnkovic, and Krkovic influenced Jansa so that Patria could land the EUR 278 million deal.
More than 500 people were outside the court, mainly Jansa's supporters and members of his party, protesting against the sentence, which can be appealed.
