13.06.2026 18:00
The name of Slovenian parliamentarian Vladimir Prebilic, who played a role in preparing the Turkey report containing the claim that sanctions were proposed against Justice Minister Akın Gürlek in the European Parliament, is associated with election irregularities in his own country. Prebilic was found to have accepted illegal cash donations for his election campaign and to have employed official EP advisors in Brussels for his own party in violation of regulations.
Slovenian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Vladimir Prebilic has recently come to the forefront with his critical stance on judicial processes in Turkey. However, Prebilic's high-pitched moral rhetoric contrasts sharply with the "bent rules" and scandal-ridden political record in his own past.
ELECTION CAMPAIGN FAILED COURT OF AUDITORS' SCRUTINY
Presenting himself as an "anti-corruption" figure, Prebilic was the only candidate whose 2023 election campaign was investigated by the Slovenian Court of Auditors.
The irregularities identified in the report were quite striking:
Illegal donations: It was documented that he accepted cash donations from a private company, despite being prohibited under Slovenian law.
Irregular expenses: Luxury restaurant bills and PR services outside the campaign period were reported as irregularities by the Court of Auditors.
Dismissive attitude: Prebilic chose to downplay all these findings, saying it was "because of a restaurant bill."
MAYOR PREBILIC'S LUXURY CAR PASSION
During his tenure as mayor, Prebilic exceeded the 30,000 euro limit set for service vehicles by more than double, purchasing a 65,000 euro luxury limousine. He justified this with the excuse that it would "save money because it's electric." However, the subsequent mayor stated that the car was sold for half its price due to its high costs.
ADMISSION OF NEGLIGENCE IN INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT: NOT EVERYTHING WAS BY THE BOOK
During Prebilic's mayoral term, one of the deadliest industrial accidents in Slovenia's recent history occurred. In the 2022 explosion at the Melamin Factory in Kocevje, which killed 7 people, Prebilic—who had direct supervisory responsibility—tended to shirk responsibility by stating, "Not everything was by the book" regarding the tragedy.
CONDUCTED ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN SLOVENIA WITH PAID STAFF FROM BRUSSELS
In the March 2026 Slovenian general elections, Prebilic, who aimed to enter parliament with his newly founded Prerod party, drew significant criticism for drawing a salary from the European Parliament while simultaneously running a national election campaign.
The biggest controversy in this process was that his parliamentary advisors in Brussels were also working for his own political party. Despite the European Parliament's ban on using advisors in national campaigns, it was revealed that his advisors used the same email addresses for both the EP and his party.
IS HE REBUILDING HIS REPUTATION ON ANTI-TURKISH SENTIMENT?
It is noteworthy that Prebilic, whose party failed to pass the 3% threshold in the March 2026 elections and thus could not enter parliament, has lost popularity in his country and suffered reputational erosion among the Slovenian public.
This turbulent process in his political career and allegations such as "failing to declare additional income," despite his claims of transparency, raise the question of whether Prebilic's outbursts against Turkey are a political strategy or an effort to rebuild his reputation.
WHO IS VLADIMIR PREBILIC?
Vladimir Prebilic is a Slovenian politician, Member of the European Parliament, and serves as the leader of the political party Prerod. He was elected Mayor of Kocevje in 2010 as an independent candidate and was re-elected, serving in this role until 2024.
In 2024, he was nominated by the Greens group and elected to the European Parliament, and in 2025 he founded the party Prerod and became its chairman.