Minister informs EU cohesion commissioner of flood relief efforts
Ljubljana, 11 August - Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development Aleksander Jevšek talked over the phone with European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira to discuss the magnitude of the consequences of floods that recently hit Slovenia. He informed her of the measures taken so far to alleviate the damage and thanked her for the EU's swift response.
Prevalje
The Meža River sweeps away a house in Prevalje.
Photo: Matic Tasič/Facebook
Brdo pri Kranju
Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development Aleksander Jevšek.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
File photo
Jevšek presented the flood relief measures the government has taken so far to help people and companies affected by last weekend's floods that devastated two-thirds of the country, and asked for the European Commission to be as flexible as possible in its response.
Some 4,000 homes are estimated to have been badly damaged and more than 50 homes are destroyed beyond repair, according to Slovenian Caritas.
Thanking the Commission and EU member states for their rapid aid, the minister invited Ferreira during Friday's telephone conversation to visit Slovenia to see the damage first-hand.
The EU commissioner assured him she would do anything in her power to make the visit happen as soon as possible, the Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development said.
He also informed her of a new interdepartmental task force tasked with preparing an application for EU Solidarity Fund resources. The application is due on 27 October, and Slovenia intends to ask for an advance payment.
The country is extremely proud of the solidarity witnessed in the affected areas, Jevšek said. He also discussed with Ferreira possibilities for reallocating any potential residual funds from the 2014-2020 European Cohesion Policy Programme and possibilities for amending Slovenia's 2021-2027 European Cohesion Policy Programme.
The EU Commissioner said that Slovenia could count on the EU's support in the reconstruction effort, and that the Commission would help make sure the country is successful in drawing funds.
Ferreira is responsible for the work of a directorate-general which provides technical and financial support for reforms in the member states and which also oversees the EU Solidarity Fund, the ministry added.