New details have emerged surrounding the traffic accident involving Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar, who was injured while returning from a holiday in Croatia. The crash happened in the Kastelec tunnel on the motorway toward Ljubljana, where two vehicles from the presidential convoy were involved in a collision. Pirc Musar was taken to General Hospital Izola following the accident, while another person involved in the crash suffered more serious injuries. The incident immediately attracted attention because of the president’s presence in the convoy and the circumstances surrounding the collision. Newly released footage from the scene has now provided additional insight into what happened, although the video itself is not being included here. The accident occurred as the presidential convoy was traveling back from Croatia, where Pirc Musar had been spending her annual vacation.
The president suffered a broken collarbone in the crash but did not require surgery and was later released from the hospital for recovery at home. Pirc Musar subsequently spoke publicly about the incident, acknowledging that she had not been wearing a seat belt at the time. She said she was sitting in the back of the vehicle and did not see everything that happened inside the tunnel. According to her account, the vehicle first collided with another car before being thrown toward the tunnel wall, which is believed to have caused the injuries. Despite the accident, her office said she continued carrying out her presidential duties while recovering. Her injuries also forced her to cancel an appearance at the Sinjska Alka in Croatia, where she had been expected to attend as a guest of Croatian President Zoran Milanović.
The police investigation later provided a clearer picture of how the crash occurred. According to investigators, the 52 year old driver of the Mercedes carrying Pirc Musar failed to maintain a sufficient distance from the vehicle ahead and struck the rear of an Audi that was part of the presidential escort. The Audi was being driven by a 34 year old man and had no passengers. The Mercedes was carrying the president, her security guard and two other women. Both drivers underwent alcohol and rapid drug tests, which were negative. Police estimated the material damage from the collision at approximately 37,000 euros and notified the Specialized State Prosecutor’s Office because of suspicions that the accident was caused by negligent driving.
The crash has continued to attract public attention because it involves Slovenia’s head of state and raises questions about the safety procedures surrounding official convoys. While the investigation has established that the collision was linked to the failure to maintain a safe distance, the incident has also brought renewed focus to the president’s own admission that she was not wearing a seat belt. Pirc Musar has since continued her recovery, with earlier reports indicating that rehabilitation could take several weeks. The newly released material from the accident has added another element to the story, giving the public a closer look at the incident without changing the central facts already established by investigators.
