On 23 May 2025, members of the Special Police Unit, together with other police services, carried out a tactical operational exercise at the Mariborski otok hydropower plant.
The objective of the exercise was to test the readiness, responsiveness, and coordination of various police units and services in the event of a serious threat to critical national infrastructure—such as a potential attack on the dam structure of a hydropower facility.
The exercise was organised by the Holding Slovenske elektrarne (HSE) in cooperation with Dravske elektrarne Maribor and involved 38 police representatives from a range of units and operational areas, including the Uniformed Police Directorate, the Criminal Police Directorate (police negotiators), the Special Police Unit, the IT and Telecommunications Office (drone unit) and the Maribor Police Directorate.
Minister of the Interior Boštjan Poklukar attended the exercise and welcomed the collaboration between HSE and the Slovenian police. "In today’s world, critical infrastructure is exposed to a wide range of threats, and with ongoing technological advances, hybrid and cyber threats are becoming increasingly prominent. A single incident can disrupt vital services for the state and its citizens. Today’s exercise is one of many measures we are taking to strengthen security and build resilience across the country and its key subsystems," the Minister stated.
This tactical exercise was conducted under an existing cooperation agreement between HSE and the Slovenian police, aimed at promoting mutual learning, professional and advanced training, and the development of shared best practices for effectively responding to potential crisis situations.
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