First round of EU funds for flood-stricken Slovenia expected by the end of October
Ljubljana, 16 August - Slovenia can expect the first EUR 100 million from the EU Solidarity Fund to for flood reconstruction by the end of October. The funds will be allocated for remedying damage on public infrastructure, Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development Aleksander Jevšek said on Wednesday.
Brdo pri Kranju
Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development Aleksander Jevšek.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
File photo
Slovenia will get a total of EUR 400 million from the EU Solidarity Fund, with the remaining EUR 300 million expected in 2024, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced during her visit to the country last week.
The ministry needs to submit an application for EU Solidarity Fund resources until 27 October at the latest and has assembled a new interdepartmental task force to do so.
"We are on a very tight timeline," Jevšek said, adding that Croatia, having gone through the same procedures after the 2020 earthquake in Petrinja, will help the ministry in preparing the application.
The minister said that the first round of funds will mostly be spent on restoring public infrastructure to its original state, while the remainder of the EU Solidarity Fund resources will be disbursed next year and will have to be spent within 18 months.
The damage caused by the intense floods is estimated at several billion euros so the ministry is actively looking for other financial resources to help in relief efforts.
Slovenia could redirect some EUR 50 million from the 2014-2020 financial period, Jevšek said, with 2023 being the final year these funds can be used. The minister also said amendments will be made to the spending programme for the 2021-2027 period, a move he will soon discuss with European Commission representatives.
"We will examine individual projects in search of solutions for those projects that have practically been washed away by the water before being concluded."
He also mentioned just under EUR 500 million provided for in the regional development agreement under the EU's multiannual budget for 2021-2027, but said he feels that it would not be a good move to halt the entire country.
Another EUR 2.7 billion is available in Next Generation EU loans that Slovenia has not yet drawn or included in the national recovery and resilience plan.
The government will discuss how to allocate part of these funds to flood damage relief at next week's session, Jevšek said..