The roads in Slovenia will be repaired, new ones will not be built

Ljubljana, 2 January - The budgetary spending in the amount of 5,3 billion Tolars will be procured for the roads in Slovenia. Experts surmise that this amount of budgetary spending will not be enough for upholding the existent traffic infrastructure, as for the new constructions, they will simply have to wait. As Mr. Milan Brečko, Deputy Head of the Minister of Traffic and Communications of the Republic of Slovenia, said in a statement for STA, the only new road construction that will be finished in this year will be the Malence - Šmarje highway section, while the construction works on the Hrušica - Vrba section will be slowed down. The rest of the budgetary spending will be partly used to finish the reconstruction works at Črni Kal as well as the sections Soča - Trenta, Bertoki - Gračišče and Lenart - Gornja Radgona. The remaining part of the budgetary funding will be used for upholding the existent traffic infrastructure, though it is clear that it is not sufficient to maintain the existent level of the traffic infrastructure. The question whether the roads, that have been damaged during the war in Slovenia, have already been repaired was answered affirmatively by Mr. Brečko. 300 million Tolars were spent mainly on top priority reconstruction works, resulting from the war damages. As Slovenia has not been internationally recognized yet, new foreign credits are not available, while even some of the old ones are under blockade. Due to the shortage of foreign capital investments it is expected, that even the capital, that is supposed to arrive together with the international recognition, will not be immediately available. However, Slovenia will have to provide its financial share even in the case, that foreign credits will become available. The capital in question is due to the costs of land acquisition, taxes due to the changes in its status, the procurement of the relevant documentation, communal services and all the accompanying activities. The total amount of these expenses can reach up to 40% of the total investment value. Slovenia does not posses this amount of money. This year's budget is aimed at surviving which does not include new road construction.