Budgets for Slovenians abroad in 2025 and 2026 higher
Ljubljana, 17 October - Budgetary funds available for Slovenians abroad will be higher in 2025 and 2026, at EUR 13 million and EUR 12.1 million, respectively, the parliamentary Commission for Slovenians Abroad heard as it discussed the budget documents for the coming two years on Thursday.
"Both budgets bring more funds for Slovenians abroad compared to both 2024 and 2023," State Secretary at the Office for Slovenians Abroad Vesna Humar told the MPs.
As part of the changes to the 2025 national budget, the office will allocate EUR 1 million more to the European Capital of Culture. This is why the budget for 2025 is bigger than for 2026, explained Humar.
"The bulk of this sum will go to associations and organisations of Slovenians abroad that will participate in events in June 2025 in Nova Gorica and Gorizia."
Humar also said that higher funds were also a result of government commitments to fund Slovenians abroad.
This year when the total funds for the office are lower than in 2025 and 2026, "we managed to maintain the amount of funds for open calls through internal reallocations and the really excellent work of our colleagues".
For the first time in history, Slovenia has dedicated funds to promote the repatriation of Slovenians; so far, the office has set up an infopoint for this purpose.
MP Lucija Tacer from the ruling Freedom Movement welcomed an increase in funds and the fact that the office had set up the repatriation infopoint.
She sees it as a bridge with the homeland for those Slovenians who are considering moving to Slovenia.
Franc Medic from the opposition New Slovenia (NSi) inquired about the key projects of the European Capital of Culture and how much budgetary funds will go for teaching the Slovenian language in the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.
Humar listed a number of events, including the annual Welcome Home event for Slovenians abroad and a business conference for business people of Slovenian descent.
As for Slovenian language teaching, it is funded by the Italian government while the Office for Slovenians Abroad only provides funds for some additional activities while helping out in case of problems, the state secretary said.