AI-manipulated audio recordings target Slovenian political party
Audio recordings purporting to show private conversations between senior figures in Slovenian ruling party Gibanje Svoboda were shared on social media in March 2026. The party alleged the recordings were AI-manipulated synthetic media intended to damage their reputation and distract from political achievements during parliamentary elections.
What happened
Audio recordings of alleged conversations between senior figures in Gibanje Svoboda, including former general secretary Vesna VukoviΔ and parliamentarian Tamara Vonta, circulated on social media in early March 2026, two weeks before parliamentary elections.
Additional recordings featured alleged remarks by former health minister Danijel BeΕ‘iΔ Loredan about the state president and alleged comments about government secretary Barbara Kolenko Helbl. Gibanje Svoboda claimed the recordings were manipulated using artificial intelligence.
Reported impact
Gibanje Svoboda stated the timing of release was not coincidental and was intended to undermine confidence in a parliamentary investigation commission led by the party and to damage the reputation of Infrastructure Minister Alenka BratuΕ‘ek.
The party alleged the recordings were part of a campaign by the opposition SDS to spread manipulation and divert attention from government achievements.
Index analysis
The government's general secretariat confirmed that allegedly unlawful recordings appeared to have been fabricated using artificial intelligence and stated the government secretary was not party to the conversations described in the recordings.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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