Janez Janša facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Janez Janša
Janša in 2022
Prime Minister of Slovenia
In office 3 March 2020 – 1 June 2022
President	Borut Pahor
Preceded by	Marjan Šarec
Succeeded by	Robert Golob
In office 10 February 2012 – 20 March 2013
President	Danilo Türk Borut Pahor
Preceded by	Borut Pahor
Succeeded by	Alenka Bratušek
In office 3 December 2004 – 21 November 2008
President	Janez Drnovšek Danilo Türk
Preceded by	Anton Rop
Succeeded by	Borut Pahor
Minister of Defence
In office 7 June 2000 – 30 November 2000
Prime Minister	Andrej Bajuk
Preceded by	Franci Demšar
Succeeded by	Anton Grizold
In office 16 May 1990 – 29 March 1994
Prime Minister	Lojze Peterle Janez Drnovšek
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Jelko Kacin
Leader of the Slovenian Democratic Party
Incumbent
Assumed office May 1993
Preceded by	Jože Pučnik
Member of the National Assembly for Grosuplje
Incumbent
Assumed office 8 April 1990
Additional positions President-in-Office of the European Council In office 1 January 2008 – 30 June 2008 Preceded by José Sócrates Succeeded by Nicolas Sarkozy
Personal details
Born	Ivan Janša (1958-09-17) 17 September 1958 (age 66) Grosuplje, PR Slovenia, FPR Yugoslavia
Political party	League of Communists (1975–1983) Slovenian Democratic Union (1989–1991) Slovenian Democratic Party (1992–present)
Spouses	Silva Predalič Urška Bačovnik ​ (m. 2009)​
Children	4
Education	University of Ljubljana

Janez Janša (born 17 September 1958) is a well-known Slovenian politician. He has served as the Prime Minister of Slovenia three times. His terms were from 2004 to 2008, 2012 to 2013, and 2020 to 2022.

Since 1993, Janša has been the leader of the Slovenian Democratic Party. This party is a major conservative political group in Slovenia. He also served as the Minister of Defence from 1990 to 1994. This was an important role during Slovenia's fight for independence, known as the Ten-Day War.

Janša's political views have changed over time. He started as a communist when he was young. Later, he became a liberal who supported democracy. Eventually, he moved towards being a right-wing politician. Some people have compared his political style to that of Donald Trump.

Early Life and Schooling

Janez Janša was born into a Roman Catholic working-class family in Grosuplje, Slovenia. He was called Janez (which is like John in English) since he was a child.

In 1982, Janša graduated from the University of Ljubljana. He studied Defence Studies, which is about how countries protect themselves. After graduating, he worked for the Defence Secretariate of Slovenia.

When he was 17, in 1975, Janša joined the League of Communists. He became a leader in their youth group. However, he was later removed from the party in 1983. This happened because he criticized the military system.

Standing Up for Change

In the 1980s, Janša started writing articles that criticized the Yugoslav People's Army. This was at a time when Slovenia was starting to become more democratic. People were gaining more freedom of speech.

Because of his critical articles, Janša faced difficulties. He was not allowed to be re-elected as a youth leader in 1984. In 1985, his passport was taken away. He was also watched closely by the secret police.

Janša found it hard to get a job in state companies. He applied for over 250 jobs without success. He also couldn't publish his articles. During this time, he made a living by writing computer programs and working as a mountain guide.

Later, he was able to start publishing again in Mladina magazine. His articles focused on democracy and national independence. He also became involved in movements that supported peace and protecting the environment.

Arrest and Trial

On 31 May 1988, Janša was arrested. He was suspected of having a secret military document. He and two journalists were put on trial by a military court. They were accused of sharing military secrets.

The trial was held in secret, and the accused did not have lawyers. It was also conducted in Serbo-Croatian, not Slovene. Janša was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

This case became known as the JBTZ affair. It caused huge protests against the government. It also sped up the process of Slovenia becoming more democratic. A group called the Committee for the Defence of the Rights of Janez Janša was formed. It quickly gained over 100,000 members.

Janša was released after about six months in prison. After his release, he became the editor-in-chief of a political magazine called Demokracija. He held this job until May 1990.

Political Journey

1990–1994: Becoming Minister of Defence

In 1989, Janša helped start one of the first opposition parties in Slovenia. It was called the Slovenian Democratic Union (SDZ). He became its first vice-president.

After the first free elections in May 1990, Janša became the Minister of Defence. He held this important role during the Slovenian War of Independence in 1991. He worked with the Minister of Interior, Igor Bavčar, to plan Slovenia's defense against the Yugoslav People's Army.

Igor Bavčar and Janša during the Ten-Day War

In 1992, the Slovenian Democratic Union split into two parts. Janša then joined the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia. This party is now known as the Slovenian Democratic Party. In May 1993, he was elected as the president of this party. He has been its leader ever since.

2004–2008: First Time as Prime Minister

Janša became the Prime Minister of Slovenia for the first time in November 2004. He served until November 2008. During this period, Slovenia was very excited after joining the European Union.

Janša's cabinet in 2004

His government faced some challenges. There were claims that he tried to control the Slovenian media. Also, just before the 2008 elections, there were accusations that he received bribes from a Finnish company. Janša denied these claims. He said they were a plot by left-wing journalists.

Janša with U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington, 10 July 2006

Media freedom groups criticized Janša. They said he was trying to pressure the Finnish government to interfere with news reporting.

2008–2011: In Opposition

Janša meets with President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso and Luxembourgish prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker at the EPP Summit in Meise, 16 December 2010

In the November 2008 elections, Janša's party came in second place. He was replaced as prime minister by Borut Pahor.

In December 2011, Janša's party again won the second-highest number of votes in the elections. The first-placed party's leader could not form a government. So, Janša was proposed as prime minister by a group of parties. He became prime minister again on 10 February 2012.

2012–2013: Second Time as Prime Minister

Janša with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, 16 January 2013

Janša's second term as prime minister lasted only one year. During this time, Slovenia's economy was struggling due to the global economic crisis. Janša's government introduced measures to deal with the economy.

In January 2013, a report came out about the finances of political leaders. It said that Janez Janša had not properly reported his assets. It also showed that some of his funds came from unknown sources.

After this report, several parties left Janša's government. On 27 February 2013, Janša's government fell. This happened after a vote of no confidence.

2013–2018: Back in Opposition

After his government fell, Janša decided not to return to his position as a member of the National Assembly. He chose to work for his party and write books.

Janša with one of his closest allies, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán at an EPP Summit, 22 March 2018

In the early election on 3 June 2018, Janez Janša was re-elected as a deputy. His party, the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), won the election. They received the most votes and gained 25 seats in the National Assembly.

2020–2022: Third Time as Prime Minister

After the previous prime minister resigned, Janša was chosen to form a new government. He became prime minister again on 13 March 2020.

Janša alongside U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Ljubljana, 13 August 2020

On 4 November 2020, after the 2020 United States presidential election, Janša congratulated Donald Trump. He was the only world leader to do so before the election results were officially announced.

Janša with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, 6 July 2021

Janša described the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021 as a "great defeat for NATO."

Janša greeting Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, 15 March 2022

After the start of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Janša visited Kyiv on 15 March 2022. He went with the prime ministers of Poland and the Czech Republic. Their visit was to show support for Ukraine's independence.

Janša's third term as prime minister ended on 13 May 2022. He was officially replaced by Robert Golob on 1 June 2022.

Balkan Non-Papers

In April 2021, some documents called the Balkan non-papers were discussed. These documents suggested changes to borders in the Western Balkans. They proposed that Bosnia and Herzegovina could be split up. They also suggested that parts of Montenegro and North Macedonia could join a Greater Serbia and Greater Croatia. Another idea was the unification of Albania and Kosovo.

Many political leaders from the region and the European Union criticized these ideas. Janša spoke with a Bosnian leader and said that "there is no non-paper regarding border changes in the Western Balkans." He also said he supports the current borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Janšism

Janšism is a term used to describe the political ideas and actions of Janez Janša.

Some people, like Tino Mamić, believe that Janša's politics are not unique enough to need a special name. They think the term is used to make him look bad.

Use During Protests

The term "Janšism" was used in slogans during the 2020 Slovenian protests. Protesters used phrases like "Death to Janšism, freedom to the people." This was a play on an old slogan from the Yugoslav Partisans.

Police investigated some protesters for using this slogan. However, prosecutors decided that the phrase was not a threat. Instead, they saw it as a way to show opposition to Janša's politics.

Personal Life

Janša enjoys being active. He is a mountaineer, golfer, footballer, skier, and snowboarder.

He has four children. He was in a long-term relationship with Silva Predalič, and they had two children. Since July 2009, Janša has been married to Urška Bačovnik. They have two sons, Črtomir and Jakob.

Author

Janša has written several books. Two of his well-known books are Premiki (meaning "Manoeuvres") and Okopi (meaning "Barricades"). In these books, he shares his thoughts on Slovenia's journey from communism to a parliamentary democracy. He also criticized the former president of Slovenia, Milan Kučan, in his books.

• Podružbljanje varnosti in obrambe ('The Socialization of Security and Defence', editor); Ljubljana: Republiška konferenca ZSMS, 1984.
• Stane Kavčič, Dnevnik in spomini ('The Memoirs of Stane Kavčič', co-edited with Igor Bavčar); Ljubljana: ČKZ, 1988.
• Na svoji strani ('On One's Own Side', collection of articles); Ljubljana: ČKZ, 1988.
• Premiki: nastajanje in obramba slovenske države 1988–1992; Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga, 1992. English translation: The Making of the Slovenian State, 1988–1992: the Collapse of Yugoslavia; Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga, 1994.
• Okopi: pot slovenske države 1991–1994 ('Trenches: the Evolution of the Slovenian State, 1991–1994'); Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga, 1994.
• Sedem let pozneje ('Seven Years Later'). Ljubljana: Založba Karantanija, 1994.
• Osem let pozneje ('Eight Years Later', co-authored with Ivan Borštner and David Tasić); Ljubljana: Založba Karantanija, 1995.
• Dvajset let pozneje, Okopi II ('Twenty Years Later, Trenches II'). Ljubljana: Založba Mladinska knjiga, 2014.
• White panther : the first book of The kingdom of Noric. London: IndieBooks, 2018.

Images for kids

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  League of Communists questionnaire filled out by Janša

See also

In Spanish: Janez Janša para niños