Mladina praises govt for speedy EU funds renegotiation
Ljubljana, 11 August - Mladina praises in its commentary on Friday Prime Minister Robert Golob over the speed with which Slovenia has renegotiated a substantial amount of EU funding since devastating floods hit the country, but warns that deadlines are very short and that the preparation of projects and reports is not Slovenia's strong suit.
The weekly also praises Golob for inviting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Črna na Koroškem, one of the most severely affected parts of the country. It is impossible for a politician to turn down a request when surrounded by victims.
Mladina goes on to list in detail the EU funds that will be available to Slovenia, but indicates that the deadlines are very short.
Much of the work will have to be done by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning, which has fared the worst in the entire government in terms of funds drawing.
The EU funding plan was presented by von der Leyen only five days after the floods hit, and this time period included a weekend, Mladina notes.
"This is completely new for Slovenian governments, this speed. We won't say that von der Leyen was pushed into a corner, but it is a fact that the Slovenian government (likely the prime minister) was aware that the moment must be seized when floods were still fresh."
"But it is also true that projects, estimates and reports now need to be drafted, which is the hardest part and our weak spot," the weekly says under the headline What Has Ursula von der Leyen Promised?