The members of the Government first met for a working consultation at the Dvorec Hotel in Tolmin, where the Mayor of Tolmin, Uroš Brežan, gave an opening speech, praising the constructive cooperation between the Government and local self-government, especially with respect to the payment of lump sums, but also in other areas of importance to municipalities. At the consultation, the ministers spoke about the region’s challenges and opportunities, particularly in education, healthcare, the economy, employment, agriculture, the judiciary, public administration, digitalisation, culture and investment in the region.

This was followed by separate programmes of the Prime Minister and ministers. During the visit, the Prime Minister and ministers met with representatives of businesses, institutions, municipalities and other stakeholders in the region.

Following the working consultation, the Prime Minister first met with the management of Hidria. Hidria is one of the world’s leading corporations in automotive and industrial technologies and electrical engineering. In the field of mobility, it is pushing the boundaries of what is possible with innovations and revolutionary solutions. It is developing highly efficient industrial systems that help protect the environment. Its solutions for the automotive industry are used by all leading vehicle manufacturers. Hydra’s steering systems for safe, comfortable and efficient driving are part of every third European car. The Hidria Optymus PSG cold start system, the winner of the Green Innovation of the Year Award, is fitted into every third modern diesel car. Its electric motor blades are used in 30% of manufactured electric and hybrid vehicles. Close cooperation with customers and in-house development and production of automated production lines enable the company to efficiently deliver quality products and reduce production costs. Its specialised expertise allows it to meet the biggest technological challenges.

The Prime Minister’s visit to the company was accompanied by a ceremony marking the company’s 50th anniversary, during which the Prime Minister addressed the participants and, together with Hidria Holding CEO Iztok Seljak, laid the foundation stone for a new investment in key components of EV electric motors.

Speaking at the event, Mr Seljak stressed that the Government’s intervention during the most difficult period of the COVID crisis last year, when the market came to a halt, had helped Hidria keep alive and survive, making it possible to celebrate this new investment today. He also pointed out that new workers would be hired for the purpose of the investment for which the foundation stone was laid today and underlined that the company was pursuing the goal of robotisation and automation. "We are also following the objectives of the recovery and resilience plan and looking forward to new success," Mr Seljak concluded his speech.

In his address, Prime Minister Janez Janša expressed his sincere gratitude to all those who had built the company over the past 50 years. "There is a big difference between the beginning and what we have today. In previous mandates, whenever a Government delegation visited the region, we always made a stop at Hidria, where we always observed progress," the Prime Minister said. "Not only have foundation stones been laid and new research and production facilities opened, but we have also always seen very ambitious plans. On our next visit, we have seen that not only has what had been announced come to fruition, but future plans have been even more ambitious." "The Slovenian automotive cluster and Hidria as an important part of this cluster are among the most vital parts of the Slovenian economy," continued the Prime Minister, adding that when asked what was key in the Slovenian economy, the first thing we mention is the production of the most sophisticated automotive parts, which are built into one-third of all cars driven in Europe. "The European automotive industry and the mobility sector would be non-existent without products created by Slovenians in the automotive cluster. We have taken a bold step towards the green and digital transition and electric mobility, and without you, not only in Slovenia, but in Europe as a whole, this would be virtually non-existent," said the Prime Minister, congratulating the company on its ambitious plans. "I’m confident that what is planned today will become a reality and that a large part of Slovenia’s and Europe’s modern future will be created in the years and decades to come," the Prime Minister said. He added that he thought #Gremo was a good slogan. "Every good thing deserves a good name," said the Prime Minister, and he thanked for having together successfully weathered last year’s COVID crisis and kept the Slovenian economy in good shape. "Going forward, we would like all Slovenian municipalities to have at least a vaccination rate that is well over half that of Idrija and Vipava. Vaccination is the only way at this moment to avoid repeated complications and disruptions to our normal way of life and functioning," the Prime Minister stressed.

Meeting with Mayor of Municipality of Vipava Goran Kodelj and Mayor of Municipality of Nova Gorica Dr Klemen Miklavič

During the visit, the Prime Minister also met with Mayor of Municipality of Vipava Goran Kodelj and Mayor of Municipality of Nova Gorica Dr Klemen Miklavič.

At the meeting with the Mayor of Vipava, which was also attended by Minister Zvonko Černač, the participants mainly discussed various projects in the municipality, including the project to improve the sources and riverbed of the Vipava River and the flood control of the Bela torrent. They also discussed the project for a cycle path between Vipava and Ajdovščina and the options of obtaining funding from EU funds for sewerage system development projects. Another topic of discussion was the project to build a new Centre for Education, Rehabilitation and Training of Children – CIRIUS Vipava.

In the Municipality of Nova Gorica, the most talked about project at the meeting with Mayor Klemen Miklavčič was the Nova Gorica European Capital of Culture 2025 project. Although it is a project of Nova Gorica and Gorizia, the Mayor of Nova Gorica stressed that it was in fact a regional project of which all mayors in the region should take advantage.

Prime Minister Janša concluded his visit to the Goriška region at a public debate, which started at 19:00 and took place at the Slovenian National Theatre in Nova Gorica. At the public debate, the Prime Minister and the ministers discussed the development and prospects of the Goriška region with development actors in the region.