A political crisis has engulfed Slovenia following the fatal beating of a well-known local barman, Aleš Šutar, an event that has forced the resignations of two senior ministers and ignited a fierce national debate over security, integration, and ethnic tension.
The incident occurred in the city of Novo Mesto on October 25th, when the 48-year-old barman was severely attacked while trying to protect his son from threats outside the LokalPatriot nightclub. He later died from his injuries. The subsequent arrest of a 21-year-old Roma suspect from the nearby village of Mihovica focused public anger on a perceived pattern of violent crime and a failure of state protection.
The outcry proved overwhelming for the government. Prime Minister Robert Golob was compelled to accept the resignations of both Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar and Justice Minister Andreja Katič, who cited their “objective responsibility” for a deteriorating security situation in the country’s southeast. In a national address, Golob acknowledged the public’s “sadness, anger, and even fear,” but pleaded for calm, warning that allowing pain to turn into “revenge or hatred” would tear society apart.
Rejecting calls for his own resignation, Golob instead announced a sweeping legislative response—a proposed statute already dubbed the “Šutar Law.” The measures would significantly strengthen police powers, authorizing officers to immediately remove repeat offenders from public areas, close premises where crimes are incited, and conduct warrantless security checks for weapons. The proposed law also targets recidivists by restricting their access to social benefits and legal aid and allowing the seizure of assets disproportionate to their declared income.
The tragedy has reverberated across the nation, with the trending social media slogan “#vsismolahkoAco” (“we could all easily be Acos”, which was the nickname of the barman). The political fallout was immediate, with opposition leader Janez Janša demanding Golob’s resignation and calling for protests, while President Nataša Pirc Musar urged unity but insisted on accountability for all sides.
President Pirc Musar emphasized that cooperation between municipalities with Roma communities and the government is the “only correct and necessary way forward,” but she also directly called on the Roma community to “take responsibility for its actions.” Roma Community Council President Jožek Horvat Muc condemned all acts of violence as police deployed their largest-ever reinforcement contingent to the region.
The attack is not an isolated event, coming months after Ribnica Mayor Samo Pogorelc was beaten in a separate high-profile incident allegedly involving Roma men.