The image of billionaire financier George Soros tweeted by Slovene premier Janez Jansa was criticized for its antisemitic connotations by Jewish groups. Photo: Screenshot.

The European Jewish Congress (EJC) on Monday called on Slovenia’s nationalist prime minister to apologize for a now-deleted tweet that invoked “historic antisemitic connotations.”

The original tweet posted last week by Slovene premier Janez Jansa contained an image showing 13 members of the European parliament depicted as operatives of George Soros, the billionaire financier of Jewish origin whose name is frequently deployed by antisemitic conspiracy theorists. The text alongside described the 13 as “Soros puppets in the EU parlement (sic).”

Jansa’s tweet contained “very serious historic antisemitic connotations used to justify attacks against Jews in the past,” the EJC stated.

“We call on PM Jansa to apologize,” the group continued. “Such behavior is unworthy of the EU presidency.”

Slovenia — a central European nation that until 1991 was a republic of the now defunct federation of Yugoslavia — took over the six-month rotating presidency of the EU in July.

Jansa’s tweet arose in the context of concerns voiced by European parliamentarians over the rule of law in Slovenia. In particular, MEPs have expressed worry that Jansa’s government is compromising basic media freedom.

The EU Commission also criticized Jansa’s tweet, specifically noting its antisemitic associations.

“Antisemitism has no place in the European Union,” a Commission spokesperson said. “It presents a threat not only to Jewish communities, but to an open and diverse society.

In a separate statement, the Green group in the European Parliament denounced Jansa’s “despicable antisemitic dog-whistling.”

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) also spoke out against Jansa. “Disturbing to see a European Prime Minister, in this case Slovenia, tweet a conspiracy theory about George Soros, a theory with antisemitic overtones,” the ADL tweeted.