Slovenia was one of the most successful EU members as regards the phasing of EU funds, Local Government Minister Ivan Zagar told the press on Thursday. Slovenia drew some 95% of the funds available to it from the European Regional Development Fund between 2004 and 2006.
According to the minister, Slovenia will get the remaining 5% by March 2010, when all procedures are concluded. Slovenia drew some 93% of the funds available for fisheries and 89% of those available for agriculture.
Most funds from the Regional Development Fund were invested into business infrastructure and public services, with the value of contracts amounting to EUR 68.5m. Some EUR 44.5m were used to boost tourism, while almost EUR 44m went into innovation.
The funds available from the address of the European Social Fund were made use of more poorly, the use rate only reaching 70%. However, Zagar believes that by the end of the year it will reach 95%. The poor performance here is the result of the mistakes made by the previous government, according to Zagar.
The biggest share of the finances from the Social fund was used to strengthen active labour market policies and boost social integration, the minister said.
Slovenia drew over 50% of the resources available from the Cohesion Fund by March 2008. Before July, Slovenia used 48% of EU funds - 42% (EUR 122.5m) went into environmental investments, while 55% (EUR 123.1m) of these funds were invested into the transport sector.
Zagar underlined that Slovenia signed in February a trust agreement with the European Commission which transfers more oversight duties onto national bodies, which is a big acknowledgment to Slovenia and its control mechanisms.
Slovenia got around EUR 4.2bn for the new programming period 2007-2013, Zagar said.
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