Photo: Minister Andrej Vizjak (Slovenian government)
The Government of Slovenia has adopted a list of 187 investments to restart the Slovenian economy after the COVID-19 epidemic including 22 projects in the environmental sector, worth EUR 310 million, and 19 in the energy sector, worth EUR 650 million.
Total value of the investments is estimated at EUR 7.7 billion, local media reported.
On the basis of the Intervention Act on removing barriers for the implementation of important investments to restart the economy after the COVID-19 epidemic, the government has determined the list of important investments that can be further expanded.
Among 19 energy projects are HPP Mokrice, transmission lines
The list includes all investment proposals that have an estimated value of over EUR 5 million and are expected to begin in 2020 or 2021, as well as all proposed investments above EUR 25 million which are expected to begin in the summer of 2021.
According to media reports, the value of the 22 important investments in the environmental sector is estimated at EUR 310 million, while the value of 19 in the energy sector is estimated at EUR 650 million.
Among 19 energy projects are hydropower plant Mokrice, transmission lines Cirkovce-Pince and Divača-Pivka-Ilirska Bistrica as well as gas pipelines.
The vast majority of the projects in the environmental sector are related to water infrastructure including flood management, and water supply.
“The measure will not cause harm to the environment”
“The purpose of determining important investments is to coordinate and thus speed up individual procedures related to the investments that we believe will mitigate the economic damage caused by the epidemic,” said environment and spatial planning minister Andrej Vizjak, who took over in March.
In accordance with the Intervention Act, a coordination group will be established
In accordance with the Intervention Act, a coordination group will be established to mainly be responsible for coordinating procedures for the implementation of important investments.
This measure is therefore aimed at speeding up and streamlining procedures and by no means at causing harm to nature and the environment, according to the press release by the Slovenian government.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from Slovenia and Europe have already protested against new measures saying the government is taking rights from environmental and nature conservation NGOs.
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