With the aim of boosting air connectivity in Slovenia, this year saw the adoption of the Act on the Aid for Greater Air Connectivity, which provides the basis for granting state aid to airlines for the start of operations on new direct routes.

The aid will be granted in the form of a subsidy amounting to 50% of the airport fees for the new route, following a public call for the improvement of air connectivity, which will be open to applications from interested air carriers.

The aid will be put into effect following a positive decision by the European Commission that the aid scheme provided by the Act is compatible with the internal market of the European Union.

The subsidies will be paid to the air carriers that are found to be eligible in the procedure for granting the aid, once the eligibility has been established and the amount of the aid determined on the basis of the submitted quarterly reports on the flights operated and the passengers carried.

The total budget foreseen is EUR 16.8 million, i.e. EUR 5.6 million per year. The funding period for the routes will run until 31 December 2025.