Representatives of the ruling coalition are scheduled to meet Monday to examine topical issues, including the financial plan for the construction of a second rail connecting the port city of Koper and the railway junction of Divača.
The debate on upgrading the existing Koper-Divača rail line with a second rail, a project estimated at around EUR 1.4bn, comes just over two weeks before Slovenia is due to submit applications for funding from the EU's Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
Slovenia hopes to tap CEF for a part of the funds for the project, which is viewed as key to the growth of the port of Koper.
The country is also eyeing funding for the rail line from European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker's public-private investment initiative. To bid it must have a financial plan and other key project documentation ready.
Slovenian media have reported in recent days that uncertainty about the project is putting pressure on Infrastructure Minister Peter Gašperšič. Coalition sources have denied this.
In addition to the Koper-Divača line, the coalition representatives may also broach the long-awaited strategy for managing state assets. The debate is currently focused on the criteria for managing assets, which is to be followed by the categorisation of individual state interests.
Source: SloveniaTimes
Photo sources: Soncek.com, Visitljubljana
