More than EUR 100 million of intervention expenditure for the floods in August

Between 4 and 31 August 2023 when the National Flood Protection and Rescue Plan was in force, the municipalities in the affected areas exhausted their own budget funds intended for the provision of basic living conditions and elimination of consequences of natural and other disasters. To this end, the Government decided at today’s correspondence session that eligible intervention expenditure be reimbursed to 138 municipalities, i.e. In the total amount of EUR 94,952,955.50 and EUR 11,412,695.08 to the protection, rescue and relief forces.

The Government ordered the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief to reimburse eligible intervention expenditure to the municipalities and protection, rescue and relief forces as per the claims based on credible documents.

On the basis of data provided by the municipalities, the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief drafted a summary table of the assessed eligible intervention expenditure of individual municipalities. Eligible intervention expenditure of the municipalities affected, including the costs of organisations and institutions under municipal competence, which incurred in connection with implementing the tasks of protection, rescue and relief during the natural disaster between 4 and 31 August 2023 include:

1. Costs of emergency rescue service operations (members of municipal authorities, protection, rescue and relief units and services, and municipal committees):

1.1 wage compensation and reimbursement of costs during intervention tasks of protection, rescue and relief;

1.2 purchase of fuel and lubricants (vehicles, pumps, motor saws, generators and more);

1.3 repair of damaged equipment and replacement of equipment destroyed;

1.4 cleaning of personal protective and other equipment;

1.5 provision of food and beverages;

1.6 accommodation of authorities, protection, rescue and relief units and services;

1.7 operating of the Civil Protection Headquarters;

1.8 operating of the committees for assessing damage to buildings and committees for assessing damage.

2. Costs of temporary accommodation (protective measure of evacuating residents from damaged or destroyed residential buildings and farm animal care):

2.1 relocation and temporary accommodation of evacuated residents;

2.2 supply of food and basic necessities of life for the evacuated residents;

2.3 protection of assets of the evacuated residents;

2.4 preparation of land plots and infrastructure for the construction of replacement residence facilities for the evacuated residents;

2.5 intervention relocation, placement and care of farm animals;

2.6 intervention purchase of animal feed.

 3. Costs of arranging affected areas/natural sections and removing consequences (implementation of intervention tasks of protection, rescue and relief and measures):

3.1 emergency intervention services or intervention hire of construction machinery, heavy duty vehicles, basket lifts, crane trucks, forklifts, municipal special vehicles (kanal-jet), mixed waste containers and more;

3.2 emergency intervention hire of rescue tools and equipment, intervention vehicles and more;

3.3 emergency intervention purchase of urgently needed equipment and means (PVC foil, tarpaulins, flood bags, sand for flood bags and more);

3.4 emergency intervention hire of storage facilities for equipment and means of protection, rescue and relief and humanitarian aid;

3.5 emergency intervention hire of equipment and means (chemical toilets, mobile sanitary units, mobile washing machines, pressure cleaners, room dryers and more);

3.6 emergency intervention hire of land plots and infrastructure for implementing the tasks of protection, rescue and relief and protective measures;

3.7 purchase of disinfectants and disinfection of public surfaces and facilities;

3.8 emergency pumping of storm water and floodwater on infrastructure and buildings;

3.9 removal, transport, temporary storage, treatment and disposal of waste construction material and other mixed waste from damaged or destroyed buildings (bricks, concrete, fittings, roofing, roof tiles, insulation, household appliances, furniture, electronic equipment and more);

3.10 removal, transport and disposal of fallen trees, branches;

3.11 cleaning of road and other infrastructure due to the deposits of soil, mud, silt, gravel, trees, branches and other material, transport and disposal;

3.12 cleaning of buildings and their surroundings due to the deposits of soil, mud, silt, gravel, trees, branches and other material, transport and disposal;

3.13 implementation of intervention works for the installation of temporary prefabricated bridges;

3.14 implementation of emergency intervention works on infrastructure (roads, water supply, sewerage, telecommunications, gas, heating, electricity, public lighting and more);

3.15 intervention supply of drinking water and food for the affected residents (transported by firefighters, purchase and distribution of bottled water).

4. Immediate renovation of natural sections to prevent floods, erosion and landslides (implementation of emergency intervention tasks and measures of protection, rescue and relief):

4.1 removal and transport of debris on local watercourses (before bridges and other structures on watercourses);

4.2 implementation of emergency arrangement of watercourses’ beds and water facilities;

4.3 implementation of emergency strengthening and raising of flood defences and alike;

4.4 implementation of emergency covering or protecting landslides from further rain and drainage of landslides;

4.5 implementation of emergency works to stabilise landslides that directly endanger infrastructure or buildings.

 5. Provision of preventive infrastructure:

5.1 implementation of static, geomechanical and other research and measurements;

5.2 consulting and preparation of documentation by experts in landslides, flood safety and other areas of expertise;

5.3 implementation of intervention sampling and extraordinary analyses (e.g. drinking water, soil);

5.4 emergency intervention renovation, completion or construction of flood defences;

5.5 emergency intervention renovation, completion or construction of flood retention schemes.

 6. Measures for cultural heritage protection within the competence of municipalities:

6.1 implementation of emergency intervention protective measures to prevent further negative consequences on cultural heritage (protection, support, closure, evacuation and more);

6.2 examination of the condition of cultural heritage and documentation of damages;

6.3 emergency conservation works.

 This expenditure of municipalities does not include:

• intervention expenditure of protection, rescue and relief forces and entities at the state level (Fire-Fighting Association of Slovenia, Red Cross, Mountain Rescue Association of Slovenia, Speleological Association of Slovenia, Cynological Association of Slovenia, Association of Rescue Dog Handlers of Slovenia, Underwater Rescue Service of the Slovenian Scuba Diving Association, Police, Slovenian Armed Forces and more), as the funds for the latter are collected through umbrella organisations or competent line ministries;
• intervention expenditure of operative fire fighting units, as the funds are collected through umbrella organisations;
• assessment of damage on buildings and infrastructure being recorded in the AJDA application for damage assessment upon accidents and the preliminary damage assessment for which the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning asked the municipalities;
• assessment of costs incurred due to the restoration of the original state or rehabilitation.

The Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief received information from the affected municipalities. The eligibility of intervention expenditure will be established in further proceedings. Only eligible intervention expenditure linked with intervention measures, and not with restoration, will be acknowledged. Restoration measures include provision of replacement land plots, land development of new plots for construction of replacement or other facilities, construction of inter-municipal or regional water supply systems and other infrastructure within the scope of restoration. As per Article 116a of the Protection Against Natural and Other Disasters Act, the Government will earmark up to EUR 11,412,695.08 to the protection, rescue and relief forces to cover eligible intervention expenditure.

Eligible intervention expenditure of rescue units, services and other operational teams of associations or non-governmental organisations incurred at the time of the National Flood Protection and Rescue Plan between 4 and 31 August 2023 referring to the implementation of protection, rescue and relief tasks during the floods include:

Costs of emergency operations/rescue services:

1.1 wage compensation and reimbursement of costs during intervention tasks of protection, rescue and relief;

1.2 purchase of fuel and lubricants (vehicles, pumps, motor saws, generators, etc.);

1.3 repair of damaged equipment and replacement of equipment destroyed;

1.4 cleaning of personal protective and other equipment;

1.5 provision of food and beverages.

The proposed amount of funds is based on the data and reports submitted by umbrella organisations in the framework of which the units participating in the implementation of protection, rescue and relief tasks are operating (Fire-Fighting Association of Slovenia, Red Cross, Mountain Rescue Association of Slovenia, Speleological Association of Slovenia, Cynological Association of Slovenia, Association of Rescue Dog Handlers of Slovenia, Underwater Rescue Service of the Slovenian Scuba Diving Association, scouts, Slovenian Catholic Girl Guides and Boy Scouts Association, Scout Association of Slovenia and more).

The payments will be made by the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief following the Government’s decision on the basis of a claim made by each municipality. The Administration will also make payments to the protection, rescue and relief forces. The beneficiaries must prove the eligibility of costs with credible documents. The funds for payments will be provided from the budgetary reserve.

Source: Ministry of Defence

Reimbursement of intervention expenditure of fire fighting units when carrying out protection, rescue and relief during storms between 12 July and 3 August 2023

At its correspondence session, the Government discussed intervention expenditure of rescue teams during direct and multi-day execution of emergency protection, rescue and relief tasks and other direct support offered to citizens affected by severe storms with lengthy downpours, strong winds, hail, flash floods and landslides that affected Slovenia between 12 July and 3 August 2023. When carrying out protection, rescue and relief services as per the Protection Against Natural and Other Disasters Act, the expenditure of fire fighting units significantly exceeded the funds earmarked in municipal budgets to provide basic living conditions and eliminate consequences of natural and other disasters.

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia decided that eligible intervention expenditure in the total amount of up to EUR 2,564,215.45 be reimbursed to the fire fighting units, i.e.:

EUR 2,325,773.44 for voluntary fire fighting units of the Fire-Fighting Association of Slovenia,

EUR 235,032.48 for professional fire fighting units of the Slovenian Professional Firefighters Association, and

EUR 3,409.53 for Ljubljana Fire Brigade.

On the basis of demonstrated eligible costs, the Fire-Fighting Association of Slovenia and the Slovenian Professional Firefighters Association will transfer the funds to the accounts of individual fire fighting units that participated in the intervention. The funds for reimbursement of intervention expenditure will be provided from the budgetary reserve.

As per paragraph one of Article 116a of the Protection Against Natural and Other Disasters Act, the expenditure of associations and other non-governmental organisations carrying out the protection, rescue and relief tasks, which incurred during the intervention that was implemented on the basis of the National Flood Protection and Rescue Plan or on the basis of a decision made by the Commander of the Civil Protection Service of the Republic of Slovenia, is covered from the budget of the Republic of Slovenia. The scope of natural disasters in July and the beginning of August 2023 was so extensive that intervention expenditure of fire fighting units which participated at the interventions will be reimbursed as per the decision of the Commander of the Civil Protection Service of the Republic of Slovenia.

Source: Ministry of Defence

EUR 47 million for intervention measures

The Government adopted a decision that funds for the implementation of intervention measures in the amount of EUR 47 million be provided for the Slovenian Water Agency of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning. The funds will be earmarked for works on water infrastructure which is necessary for the elimination of consequences of floods in August 2023.

In addition to providers of public utility services for water management, the Slovenian Water Agency will also ensure additional contractors for the implementation of intervention measures due to the adverse effects of water in the context of eliminating the consequences of floods and landslides.

Source: Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning

The Government adopted the preliminary programme for eliminating the consequences of damage in the economy after the floods in August 2023

The Government adopted the preliminary programme for eliminating the consequences of damage in the economy due to severe storms with several days of heavy rain in the broader territory of Slovenia in August 2023, which resulted in catastrophic floods, landslides and other consequences of torrential flooding. The preliminary damage assessment for the economy amounts to almost EUR 318 million. The funds for the preliminary programme totalling almost EUR 32 million will be ensured within the state budgetary reserve and general budgetary provision.

Based on the assessment of damage or the preliminary programme for eliminating the consequences of the natural disaster, the advance payment will be allocated to the beneficiaries of up to no more than ten per cent of the assessment of damage, which amounts to EUR 31,770,908 for the damage assessed to machines and equipment, damage to stock and damage due to the loss of income. The programme will apply to companies, sole proprietors, natural persons engaged in a self-employed activity, institutes and cooperatives that have incurred damage in the municipalities affected and which cannot operate due to the consequences of the natural disaster or their operations are hindered.

Source: Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport