News

The Government adopted a decree on the establishment and provision of a public information and alert system via public mobile networks, took note of information on the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan and issued the Ordinance temporarily reintroducing controls at internal borders of the Republic of Slovenia with the Republic of Croatia and Hungary.

At today's session, the Government has adopted the Energy Act Proposal and reallocated EUR 5 million for co-funding radio and television programmes at RTV Slovenija for the Italian and Hungarian ethnic communities. In addition, it has approved the National Commodity Reserves Act Proposal and extended the controls at internal borders.

The Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (FURS) today paid the first EUR 4.5 million in advance payments to homeowners for the reconstruction of homes damaged by floods and landslides on 4 August 2023. To date, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning has advanced EUR 218.5 million for emergency rehabilitation to all municipalities that have submitted applications.

On the occasion of the approval of EU funding, Dr Aleksander Jevšek, Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development, said: “The planned integrated measures to improve flood safety along the Drava, Dravinja and Polskava River will reduce flood risk in the wider area. In the long term, these measures will reduce the impact of climate change on flood risk in the area.”

The European Commission has approved an advance payment of 100 million euros from the EU Solidarity Fund, the maximum mobilised to date, following the application for support that Slovenia submitted to Brussels after the devastating floods that took place in the country in August 2023. The advance payment will be made in the next couple of days, said the European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira during a conference call with Slovenia's Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development Aleksander Jevšek.

Today, the Government agreed on the text of the proposed Reconstruction, Development and Provision of Financial Resources Act, whose aim is to provide mechanisms for accelerated reconstruction and development in areas that were flooded in August and protection against future natural disasters.

At today's session, the Government continued its consideration of the proposed Act on Reconstruction, Development and the Provision of Financial Resources. It approved the proposed amendment to the Public Use of the Slovenian Language Act, the proposed amendment to the Building Act and the proposed Minimum Tax Act.

Prime Minister Robert Golob today inspected the reconstruction of the areas affected by the natural disaster in Sneberje, Ljubljana. “The state must ensure the safety of Slovenian citizens,” the Prime Minister stressed after the visit.

Following a turbulent night, the weather is gradually settling, but another weather front is forecast to sweep over Slovenia on Sunday. A yellow alert is in place for most of the country and an orange alert for the Primorska region and the northwest due to strengthening south-westerly winds and forecast heavy rainfall on Sunday.

The expected extreme meteorological and hydrological conditions in Slovenia were presented at the press conference by meteorologist Branko Gregorčič and hydrologist Janez Polajnar, both from the Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO), Director of the Slovenian Water Agency Neža Kodre, Commander of the Civil Protection of the Republic of Slovenia Srečko Šestan, and Director of the Geological Survey of Slovenia Miloš Bavec.

Prime Minister Robert Golob, Head of the Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Post-Flood and Landslide Reconstruction Boštjan Šefic and Commander of the Civil Protection of the Republic of Slovenia Srečko Šestan today visited the flooded areas in Baška Grapa, where a preventive evacuation from the most seriously affected buildings was ordered yesterday to ensure the safety of citizens. A total of 36 inhabitants have been relocated.

At 78th session, the Government considered the Bill on Reconstruction, Development and Provision of Financial Resources and the Draft Amendment to the Act Determining Intervention Measures for Recovery from the Floods and Landslides of August 2023. The proposed solutions from both laws were presented by the Minister of Infrastructure Alenka Bratušek and the Minister of Finance Klemen Boštjančič.

Prime Minister Robert Golob and his ministers visited the Savinjska region today, where they met with mayors, business owners and representatives, and others driving development in the region.

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia agreed the text of the application form for financial assistance from the EU Solidarity Fund for recovery measures in the wake of the devastating floods that hit the country in early August. The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development that coordinated the preparation process will submit the application on behalf of the Republic of Slovenia to Brussels, presumably tomorrow.

Today, Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob attended a ceremony marking the emergency completion of a water pipeline in Prevalje, visited the flood recovery works area along the Meža River in the Dobrije residential area in Ravne na Koroškem, and attended a celebratory meeting of the Municipal Council of the Municipality of Črna na Koroškem.

At a press conference, the Director of the Slovenian Protection and Rescue Administration, Leon Behin, presented the progress of the reimbursement of intervention costs to local communities and to protection and rescue personnel incurred during the August floods and landslides during the period of the activated National Plan, i.e. between 4 and 31 August.

It has been two months since the catastrophic floods that took place on 4 August. Floods and landslides affected 183 of Slovenia's 212 municipalities, with 104 municipalities severely impacted. The total area affected is estimated at 17,203 square kilometres. To date, the Slovenian Government has provided EUR 515.9 million to help people, municipalities and the economy.

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia has taken note of the assessment of direct damage following the natural disaster that struck Slovenia on 4 August 2023. The assessment covers all aspects of the natural disaster, from the replacement of buildings, the rehabilitation of watercourses, the restoration of infrastructure, the protection and restoration of cultural heritage sites, and waste disposal and management.

The Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport paid €31.77 million in advance payments to compensate for damage to the economy caused by August’s floods and landslides. Advances were made to all eligible businesses that submitted a damage assessment to the Ministry by 1 September, requesting an advance payment of 10% of the estimated damage.

The Government has approved the budget package for 2024 and 2025. The priority for the next two years is to finance measures to deal with the consequences of this year's floods. The draft budgetary amendment for 2024 foresees €14 billion in revenue and €16.2 billion in expenditure, and for 2025 €14.56 billion in revenue and €15.82 billion in expenditure.