Commentary / Who will stop Mahnitch?

On August 11, 2026, the State Road Agency (Dars) announced it would appoint a new head of its management board, with Zdravko Počivalšek, a senior member of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), playing a central role in selecting the successor. The decision marks a shift in the leadership structure of the agency, which has been under scrutiny for frequent traffic disruptions over the past several months. According to unconfirmed reports, the current interim leader, Anton Guzej, will step down soon, paving the way for a new appointment. The transition comes after the departure of Andrej Ribič, who had led Dars for much of the previous year. Guzej, a former member of the supervisory board and former director of RTV Slovenia during the first government of Janez Janša, was temporarily appointed to take charge. However, internal sources suggest that he is unlikely to remain in his position long-term. Instead, the coalition is reportedly already considering a replacement. Among the potential candidates, Peter Drobež stands out as the leading contender. A major shareholder and director of Celje-based company Frutol Favours, Drobež is best known to the public as a former member of the Slovenian State Holding (SDH) board during the third Janša government. His involvement in the selection process is believed to be driven by Zdravko Počivalšek, who has maintained a close relationship with him since the early 2020s. Drobež’s candidacy is particularly notable because it would mark the first time in more than two decades that the SDS has secured a top position at Dars. This contrasts with past practices, where the party typically did not dominate the agency's leadership. For instance, in 2020, the Janša-led coalition appointed Valentina Hajdinjaka, a former deputy of the National Council for Roads (NSi), to lead Dars. At that time, the SDS had only one representative on the board, Boštjan Rigler. Drobež’s career trajectory reveals a pattern of alignment with right-leaning political figures. He joined the Celje-based cadres network, which has historically been influential in shaping key appointments within state-owned enterprises. During the tenure of right-wing governments, this network played a crucial role in staffing positions, especially under the leadership of Zdravko Počivalšek, a former minister of economy and president of the Modern Center Party (SMC). After the 2022 elections, when Počivalšek moved to the SDS, he continued to exert influence through advisory roles, including as a member of the SDS expert council. In 2022, Počivalšek facilitated Drobež’s entry into the SDH board, initially representing the SMC before the party rebranded as Konkretno. Following the change in power, Drobež quickly left the SDH and took control of a newly formed company, Frutol Favours, alongside other long-time leaders from Frutarom Etol. One such figure is Zdenko Zanoški, a former director of Frutarom Etol, which was acquired by an Israeli multinational, Frutarom, nearly a decade ago. Frutol Favours, now owned partially by an Israeli group called Turpaz, specializes in developing, producing, and marketing fragrances. The acquisition by Turpaz in 2024 adds another layer to Drobež’s business interests, highlighting the international connections that have shaped his professional life. Despite these ties, Drobež’s potential appointment to Dars is framed as a strategic move by the SDS to assert greater control over infrastructure-related institutions. This aligns with broader efforts by the party to consolidate influence within key sectors of the economy, even as the Ministry of Infrastructure continues to be led by Jernej Vrtovec, a member of the National Council for Roads. As the final stages of the selection process unfold, all eyes are on whether Drobež will indeed secure the position. With Počivalšek’s backing and the SDS’s growing presence in administrative bodies, the outcome appears increasingly likely. The appointment could signal a new era for Dars, one where political and economic networks intersect more directly in shaping the future of national infrastructure.