Janša, Janez, 1958–, Slovenian political leader, prime minister of Slovenia (2004–08, 2012–13, 2020–). Working as a journalist and computer programmer, he wrote articles in the 1980s that were critical of the Yugoslav army, and his ability to publish was severely restricted. In 1988 his arrest with three other dissidents and secret military trial led to protests and the beginning of democratization. After serving a short prison sentence, he returned to journalism. First elected to parliament in 1989, he served as Slovenian minister of defense (1990–94), and played an active role in Slovenia's brief war of independence (1991). In 1993 he became head of the center-right Slovenian Democratic party (SDS). He has headed three center-right coalition governments since 2004; questions about sources of his assets led to the collapse of the second coalition. In 2013 he was convicted of corruption in a case involving the purchase of military equipment during his first term as prime minister; the constitutional court overturned that decision in 2015.
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