WEBVTT

00:00:01.063 --> 00:00:08.216
Hello and welcome
to my home region.

00:00:08.357 --> 00:00:12.941
I'm pleased to introduce
three items

00:00:13.062 --> 00:00:16.678
that the government has worked on.

00:00:16.845 --> 00:00:21.148
I'll start with healthcare.

00:00:21.360 --> 00:00:27.938
The Gorenjska region
will soon get an angiography system.

00:00:28.078 --> 00:00:32.085
This device is used
for imaging the heart.

00:00:32.249 --> 00:00:36.954
The value of the investment
is €6 million,

00:00:37.118 --> 00:00:44.407
and the device will be located
at the Jesenice Hospital.

00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:50.020
Gorenjska was the last
region without the device,

00:00:50.141 --> 00:00:53.701
and I believe it will turn out
to be quite valuable.

00:00:53.867 --> 00:00:58.941
Six hundred people
a year had to be examined

00:00:59.104 --> 00:01:02.640
in Ljubljana. This will
no longer be the case.

00:01:02.801 --> 00:01:07.200
We will also see savings
from the reduced number

00:01:07.401 --> 00:01:12.690
of transports, so I'm glad
that we placed this purchase

00:01:12.860 --> 00:01:19.340
in our development plan
and the 2026 budget today.

00:01:19.461 --> 00:01:22.933
The purchase will happen
this year.

00:01:23.060 --> 00:01:27.918
We also have two
infrastructure-related items.

00:01:28.149 --> 00:01:33.001
The first one concerns
the National Spatial Plan

00:01:33.155 --> 00:01:37.318
for the Kranj-North
highway on-ramp.

00:01:37.526 --> 00:01:44.607
I'm glad that we've
obtained all the permissions

00:01:44.756 --> 00:01:48.578
from the relevant parties.

00:01:48.756 --> 00:01:55.600
All we need to do now is to get
the documentation together.

00:01:55.771 --> 00:02:03.001
Within about two months, we expect
the government to confirm

00:02:03.122 --> 00:02:10.726
the National Spatial Plan.
I trust that this will reduce

00:02:10.847 --> 00:02:18.585
traffic on the two
existing off-ramps in Kranj,

00:02:18.723 --> 00:02:24.500
particularly Kranj-East,
where, during rush hour,

00:02:24.621 --> 00:02:28.833
we see traffic backups extend
back onto the highway,

00:02:29.004 --> 00:02:32.548
which certainly isn't safe.

00:02:32.749 --> 00:02:37.640
This isn't a government-related
issue, but I'll mention it anyway.

00:02:37.771 --> 00:02:43.496
We're beginning the construction
of a roundabout in Šenčur.

00:02:44.274 --> 00:02:50.589
We believe it will also help
to reduce traffic congestion

00:02:50.774 --> 00:02:54.206
on the Kranj-East off-ramp.

00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:59.612
A T-intersection is in place there,
and because of the heavy traffic

00:02:59.775 --> 00:03:04.207
during rush hour, it's difficult
to make a turn toward Kranj,

00:03:04.360 --> 00:03:09.301
so the new intersection
will improve things.

00:03:09.530 --> 00:03:14.011
Finally, I would like to mention

00:03:14.189 --> 00:03:20.248
the biggest infrastructure project

00:03:20.412 --> 00:03:27.440
in the Gorenjska region right now.
That's the Jesenice rail hub.

00:03:27.556 --> 00:03:33.439
Much has been said and written
about this.

00:03:34.513 --> 00:03:38.473
The criticism and the concerns

00:03:38.594 --> 00:03:42.670
coming from you, the media,
as well as the public,

00:03:42.791 --> 00:03:48.216
that not enough passengers
travel though this rail hub,

00:03:48.393 --> 00:03:53.507
prompted us to commission a study
to reevaluate

00:03:53.697 --> 00:03:59.119
the need to set up two stops
toward Hrušica,

00:03:59.319 --> 00:04:03.071
namely Plavž and Hrušica.

00:04:03.219 --> 00:04:08.496
I'm glad that the study
has indicated

00:04:08.637 --> 00:04:14.081
that there is sufficient
passenger capacity.

00:04:14.230 --> 00:04:20.340
I think they said
that 54,000 passengers

00:04:20.519 --> 00:04:26.602
could end up traveling by rail.
That won't happen overnight,

00:04:27.300 --> 00:04:32.307
but the study has shown
that these two stops

00:04:32.441 --> 00:04:40.013
are justified, so we plan
to carry on

00:04:40.141 --> 00:04:47.519
this project. Its estimated cost
is around €8.6 million,

00:04:47.619 --> 00:04:51.240
excluding value-added tax.

00:04:51.380 --> 00:04:55.307
I'll take advantage of this
opportunity

00:04:55.441 --> 00:05:01.740
to see how work is progressing
on the Jesenice rail hub,

00:05:01.874 --> 00:05:05.374
and I invite you to join me.

00:05:06.447 --> 00:05:09.996
Questions from the press.
Anja will give you the mike.

00:05:10.117 --> 00:05:13.573
Marjeta? No? Next.
You'll get the mike.

00:05:13.719 --> 00:05:17.173
Introduce yourself.
-Hello. Rene Markič, POP TV.

00:05:17.324 --> 00:05:20.106
My question is unrelated
to this visit.

00:05:20.252 --> 00:05:23.374
I'm interested in your response
to the decision

00:05:23.524 --> 00:05:27.813
of the special prosecutor
regarding the KNOVS affair.

00:05:27.941 --> 00:05:33.940
They've began to prosecute
against four NSi members.

00:05:34.075 --> 00:05:36.262
What is your comment on that?

00:05:36.519 --> 00:05:40.773
Also, how do you respond
to statements by NSi

00:05:40.886 --> 00:05:45.408
that this entails collaboration
of the police and the Freedom Party?

00:05:45.529 --> 00:05:48.935
I'm not sure it's right
for politicians to comment

00:05:49.075 --> 00:05:52.435
on the decisions
of the State Prosecutor's Office

00:05:52.575 --> 00:05:56.740
or the courts. That's more typical
of the other side.

00:05:56.913 --> 00:06:01.524
I'm sure that both the prosecutors
and the courts

00:06:01.675 --> 00:06:06.085
function independently,
but it's interesting to hear

00:06:06.180 --> 00:06:09.802
that when it's about us,
it's their fault,

00:06:09.902 --> 00:06:17.669
but when it's about others,
some are quick to accuse them.

00:06:17.819 --> 00:06:24.574
Let them finish their work.
This story has been going on

00:06:24.730 --> 00:06:28.974
for a while, so the decision
didn't come as a surprise to me.

00:06:29.152 --> 00:06:32.068
Any other questions?
-Yes. Rok Bizjak, STA.

00:06:32.202 --> 00:06:35.713
Did you discuss Slovenia's
fall on the Perception

00:06:35.886 --> 00:06:38.986
of Corruption Index
at the government meeting?

00:06:39.091 --> 00:06:41.091
Not today.

00:06:41.212 --> 00:06:48.658
Did you talk about the visit
of NATO representatives today?

00:06:48.841 --> 00:06:51.574
Not at the government meeting.

00:06:57.549 --> 00:07:01.965
Is there anything else
that the Gorenjska region needs

00:07:02.086 --> 00:07:05.602
and the government
must carry out?

00:07:05.763 --> 00:07:13.613
There are quite a few projects left.
In the domain of infrastructure,

00:07:13.780 --> 00:07:21.574
among the most important ones
is a project I'd like to jump start,

00:07:21.707 --> 00:07:24.357
namely the bypass
in Bled.

00:07:24.613 --> 00:07:29.235
Unfortunately, of the 69 owners
with whom an agreement

00:07:29.386 --> 00:07:33.174
had to be reached,
there are still two

00:07:33.319 --> 00:07:38.313
who don't wish to sign it.

00:07:38.425 --> 00:07:42.430
The process of denational...

00:07:42.552 --> 00:07:48.706
...pardon, expropriation,
is a lengthy one.

00:07:48.858 --> 00:07:53.507
I've frequently stated publicly
that in the next government term,

00:07:53.653 --> 00:07:58.740
we'll have to tackle
the unpleasant issue

00:07:58.908 --> 00:08:02.740
of spatial planning
and building permits.

00:08:02.902 --> 00:08:10.635
The state can't be held hostage
by one or two people

00:08:10.763 --> 00:08:13.906
in matters of public interest.

00:08:14.052 --> 00:08:17.863
We'll need to think long and hard
about how to do that

00:08:17.984 --> 00:08:22.830
because the Constitution
protects private property.

00:08:22.930 --> 00:08:27.441
But we'll have to do this,
because when I talk to people,

00:08:27.613 --> 00:08:33.057
they can't understand
that one or two people

00:08:33.191 --> 00:08:37.474
can keep all of Bled,
Bohinj, and the country captive.

00:08:37.647 --> 00:08:41.602
Even though it's not discussed
as much, a lot has been done

00:08:41.736 --> 00:08:44.746
on flood repair in
the Gorenjska region,

00:08:44.897 --> 00:08:47.725
from Škofja Loka upriver.

00:08:47.852 --> 00:08:52.263
I believe that Gorenjska
has done well

00:08:52.397 --> 00:08:54.624
during the government's term.

00:08:54.745 --> 00:08:57.696
Any other question?
-Just one more question.

00:08:57.890 --> 00:09:04.019
Business leaders have been
critical of the minimum wage hike.

00:09:04.141 --> 00:09:08.807
What's your response?

00:09:08.969 --> 00:09:16.930
Our country hasn't
had such high credit ratings

00:09:17.052 --> 00:09:22.607
for a long time. Practically all
credit rating agencies

00:09:22.797 --> 00:09:28.868
have increased their assessment
of Slovenia's public finances

00:09:29.008 --> 00:09:32.963
to a historic level.
This reflects the overall

00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:35.702
situation in our country.

00:09:35.841 --> 00:09:42.075
Here's another data point,
which I did share at the meeting.

00:09:42.224 --> 00:09:50.080
We ended 2025 with a somewhat
lower deficit than forecast.

00:09:50.252 --> 00:09:53.907
I believe the forecast was 2.6%
of the GDP,

00:09:54.028 --> 00:09:58.896
while we ended up at 2.4%
of the GDP.

00:09:59.002 --> 00:10:05.096
The entire debt taken on in 2025
was used to fund investments.

00:10:05.205 --> 00:10:06.796
This means that our country

00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:11.998
didn't borrow a single euro
for current consumption

00:10:12.114 --> 00:10:17.604
or, as some are now accusing us,
for various goodies.

00:10:17.688 --> 00:10:20.718
I think this fact
speaks volumes.

00:10:20.802 --> 00:10:23.114
Even to economists,

00:10:23.311 --> 00:10:25.517
who understand very well

00:10:25.601 --> 00:10:31.186
why it makes sense to borrow
as the owner of a company

00:10:31.270 --> 00:10:32.871
and why it doesn't.

00:10:32.954 --> 00:10:36.537
Borrowing for investments
means development.

00:10:37.086 --> 00:10:39.336
These are the figures

00:10:41.224 --> 00:10:45.790
that may refute economists.

00:10:46.042 --> 00:10:49.706
And another thing,
this is purely my personal opinion,

00:10:49.789 --> 00:10:52.333
to all those who say

00:10:52.417 --> 00:10:56.116
that a minimum wage
of 1,000 euros is too much,

00:10:56.199 --> 00:11:01.615
I would recommend that they try
to live on that money for a month.

00:11:01.780 --> 00:11:03.380
Next, STA.

00:11:04.999 --> 00:11:07.906
What about the Bohinj
railway renovation project?

00:11:07.989 --> 00:11:11.709
Does that remain a priority?
Have you put it aside for now?

00:11:11.792 --> 00:11:18.193
This railway line is included
in the flood remediation program

00:11:18.717 --> 00:11:20.412
and remains a priority.

00:11:20.495 --> 00:11:26.070
It's true, however, that
we have a minor complication

00:11:26.154 --> 00:11:33.357
because an audit was submitted,
which took three to four months.

00:11:33.484 --> 00:11:36.986
We were essentially left without
a specific source of funding,

00:11:37.069 --> 00:11:41.697
a return source from
the Recovery and Resilience Plan.

00:11:41.781 --> 00:11:46.498
Until we replace this source,
we can't begin the renovation,

00:11:46.581 --> 00:11:48.758
we can't sign the contract.

00:11:48.841 --> 00:11:56.093
So now we're figuring out
how to close this financial gap.

00:11:56.177 --> 00:12:00.489
Both Koroška and Bohinj railways
remain in the program.

00:12:00.572 --> 00:12:05.400
Go ahead.
-Speaking about the Bohinj railway

00:12:05.484 --> 00:12:07.484
and the cycle path.

00:12:07.934 --> 00:12:13.512
With the cycle path
we also face the challenge

00:12:14.156 --> 00:12:18.481
of how to not force people,

00:12:18.565 --> 00:12:24.697
but plead with them to allow us
to install protective fences.

00:12:24.781 --> 00:12:28.162
Until this agreement
is reached,

00:12:28.462 --> 00:12:34.906
we're not officially allowed
to open the cycle path.

00:12:35.428 --> 00:12:39.497
As you know, people
have actually been using it

00:12:39.581 --> 00:12:43.597
at their own risk
for quite some time now.

00:12:43.681 --> 00:12:46.348
There's no final agreement yet.

00:12:47.862 --> 00:12:50.988
Yes, European money
is definitely on the line.

00:12:51.071 --> 00:12:55.226
The municipality of Bohinj
will face some major challenges

00:12:55.309 --> 00:12:58.116
if we don't
resolve this successfully,

00:12:58.199 --> 00:13:02.006
but as we said,
it seems that in our country,

00:13:02.090 --> 00:13:05.597
some people can hold
the entire country hostage.

00:13:05.680 --> 00:13:08.899
Next.
-Klementina S. Mežek, GTV.

00:13:09.215 --> 00:13:11.791
I come from
the Upper Sava Valley.

00:13:11.874 --> 00:13:15.581
The barriers for Vrata
are now set,

00:13:15.665 --> 00:13:22.321
and there has already
been a trial run for Vršič.

00:13:22.405 --> 00:13:28.490
Given that we have major events
in the Upper Sava Valley,

00:13:28.574 --> 00:13:32.515
such as the Vitranc Cup
and ski jumps,

00:13:32.861 --> 00:13:37.828
sometimes it's impossible
to cross the road in the villages.

00:13:37.911 --> 00:13:40.328
I come from
the village of Belca

00:13:40.411 --> 00:13:45.115
and I can honestly say
that sometimes I wait 20 minutes

00:13:45.199 --> 00:13:49.299
for someone to stop
so that I can cross the road.

00:13:49.383 --> 00:13:54.823
Are you considering installing
a pedestrian crossing here,

00:13:54.907 --> 00:13:59.356
given that they have one in Kamne?
Thank you for your answer.

00:13:59.439 --> 00:14:02.355
The location
of pedestrian crossings

00:14:02.439 --> 00:14:06.086
is, of course,
determined by regulations,

00:14:06.170 --> 00:14:08.795
there must be visibility.

00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:11.418
This is coordinated
with the local community,

00:14:11.501 --> 00:14:13.802
so it's very difficult
for me to comment

00:14:13.885 --> 00:14:17.830
this specific
pedestrian crossing.

00:14:17.914 --> 00:14:20.471
If it's in accordance
with the rules,

00:14:20.554 --> 00:14:23.199
I don't see a problem
with installing it.

00:14:23.282 --> 00:14:27.171
However, when it comes to traffic,
safety always comes first.

00:14:27.254 --> 00:14:32.208
Any other questions?
Planet TV? -No, that's all.

00:14:32.292 --> 00:14:36.357
Thank you. -Thank you.
I hope to see you in Jesenice.

00:14:36.440 --> 00:14:38.040
Goodbye.