Government Visit to the Primorska-Notranjska Region

During the field session, the Government adopted a proposal for the Act on Promoting Competitiveness and the Decarbonisation of Electricity-Intensive Companies. According to Minister Kumer, Slovenia is among the first countries in the European Union to establish a legal basis for systemic support to electricity-intensive companies. These are high value-added companies that are extremely important for Slovenian exports. The Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy is also exploring additional options and measures to further support such companies through other funding sources.

The Government also adopted proposed amendments to the Spatial Planning Act, the Mining Act, the Nuclear Damage Liability Act, legislation on road tolling, and the accessibility of products and services for persons with disabilities. It also approved the proposal for the Act on International Treaties and Other International Acts.

More details on the decisions adopted at the 186th Government session.

Separate programmes of the Prime Minister and the Government team after the session

As part of the regional visit, Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob visited the Ilirska Bistrica Home for the Elderly, where he met with residents and staff and emphasised that the public social support network is a fundamental pillar of a solidarity-based society. He underlined the importance of a stable and accessible social welfare system that must ensure safety and quality of life for older people, and stressed the responsibility of the state to maintain high-quality public services and strengthen support for institutions that care for the most vulnerable.

As part of the visit, members of the Government continued with their working programmes throughout the region. During visits to all six municipalities in the region, ministers addressed a number of topical issues, most notably problems with road infrastructure (particularly the Postojna–Jelšane motorway connection), the issue of the military training area at Poček, and difficulties related to finding suitable new locations for craft and business zones in the Postojna area.

Consultation Meeting with Mayors and Business Representatives

Following the consultation with mayors, business representatives and the public sector, Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arčon assessed the regional visit as very successful, and described the discussion as constructive. He highlighted two main topics of the day: the placement of the motorway connection towards Croatia, for which three route options will be presented in early March, with a final decision expected in June, in order to bring the long-standing procedure to a close. The second important topic was the coexistence of the Postojna military barracks with local communities, where Minister Sajovic is expected to personally accelerate the agreement process and a new solution is to be prepared.

Arčon also emphasised the region’s challenges due to its large area, sparse population and natural heritage, especially in the field of spatial planning, where progress is being made but not fast enough. He additionally pointed to the Act on Balanced Regional Development, which will enable all 12 regions to gain greater autonomy and additional funding for development projects that will increase productivity and make better use of each region’s comparative advantages.