"My intention was to draw attention to the state of the Slovenian railways". The 34-year-old pleaded guilty to sabotage on the railways, but...

A 34-year-old man from Nova Gorica has admitted to sabotage attacks on Slovenia’s railways, though he did not fully accept responsibility for the consequences of his actions. The case will proceed to trial at the local court in the coming weeks, following a hearing where prosecutors presented detailed charges against Urban Bric, a former welder and metalworker with apparent knowledge of railway operations. According to the indictment, Bric is accused of eight incidents of endangering public transport infrastructure between last autumn and early this year. In one instance, a train partially derailed due to sabotage, resulting in approximately 300,000 euros in damages. Prosecutors claim that five of these incidents were attempted acts, as railway staff detected the sabotage in time and prevented serious harm. However, the remaining three cases resulted in actual damage and posed a direct threat to safety. During the preliminary hearing, Bric acknowledged some level of guilt but stated he was not fully aware of the potential consequences of his actions. He told the judge, Simon Jursinovič, that his intent was to draw attention to the poor state of Slovenia's railways. “My intention was to highlight the condition of Slovenian railways,” he said. “I wanted things to change… I caused damage to the railways and to myself.” The defense, led by attorney Vesna Fašink, argued that Bric’s mental state should be further examined. They requested that the psychiatric expert, Ingrid Velikonja, provide additional insight into whether Bric understood the nature and implications of his actions. This request aims to address concerns regarding the subjective intent behind his conduct. Prosecutor Damir Kusić emphasized that the case involves multiple offenses over several locations and a prolonged period. He rejected the defense’s argument that there were no clear signs of intent or that the consequences were not severe enough to constitute criminal behavior. “It wasn’t just one offense, it was a series of offenses carried out across different sites and over an extended timeframe,” Kusić stated. He noted that Bric had access to railway systems and used that knowledge to carry out his actions. Bric’s alleged crimes began in late autumn last year at the Bled Jezero railway station, where he cut four steel wires used for managing track switches. Thanks to timely intervention by railway operators, no collision occurred. His activities continued through October at the Vintgar station, where a train derailed after being sabotaged. Further incidents followed at stations in Grahovo ob Bači, Plave near Prelesje, Kreplje, and Most na Soči. At Vintgar, the sabotage caused both structural damage to the rail system and financial loss to the train itself. The prosecution maintains that Bric’s actions created a real danger to both train operators and passengers. Despite his admission of wrongdoing, they argue that his intent was deliberate and that his understanding of the risks was insufficient. The trial will determine whether Bric’s actions constituted a criminal offense under the law. The case highlights ongoing challenges in maintaining railway security and the potential dangers posed by individuals with technical expertise who choose to misuse their knowledge.