Minister Jevšek attends Szentgotthárd/Monošter Forum, says regional policy is one of ‘key pillars of development’

The Forum aims to support cooperation between Slovenia and Hungary and promote joint development of the ethnically mixed border region. At the Forum, the Minister underscored the work of the Joint Development Fund for Pomurje and Porabje. The Fund provides support to projects focusing on tourism, economy, agriculture, education, culture, and sport. It aims to foster the development of both national communities, the Hungarian community in Pomurje and the Slovene community in Porabje.   

''Among the projects supported by the Fund, there is one I would especially like to mention. The purchase and renovation of the historic Filov Mill in Porabje, the only preserved Slovenian mill in Hungary, plays a major role in conservation of Slovenia's technical and industrial heritage. The project is also one of the first projects to become part of the multiannual development programme for ethnically mixed areas that is based on the agreement on cooperation in economic and social development of ethnically mixed areas on both sides of the Slovenian-Hungarian border that was adopted by the governments of Slovenia and Hungary,' Minister Jevšek said.  

Minister Jevšek also touched on another important, if not the most important source of funding, i.e. cohesion policy. Cohesion funding remains the main source of development finance in the next programming period. According to Minister Jevšek, Slovenia supports the ambitious proposal for the next multiannual financial framework 2028-2034 and the efforts of the European Commission to revise EU funding mechanisms. The European Commission has proposed to modernise the EU budget architecture and reorient spending priorities to reflect today’s geopolitical and economic realities. Slovenia has made important adjustments as well, having recently amended its EU Cohesion Policy Programme to better focus on strategic areas with highest development potential, i.e. competitiveness, energy security, sustainable transformation, and affordable housing, the Minister stressed.

The Minister particularly underscored the importance of strengthening regional policy as one of key pillars of development at national level. ''We are drafting amendments to the Balanced Regional Development Act at our ministry; these amendments will give regions a greater say, allowing them to make decisions on funding regional projects in line with their development priorities and goals.''