PUBLIC DEBATE WITH MEMBERS OF REGIONAL BODIES

The SAŠA Development Agency, in cooperation with members of the Regional Development Council, the Council of Mayors of the SAŠA Region, the Regional Working Group for the Preparation of Proposals for the Act on the Development Restructuring of the SAŠA Region, and the committees for the preparation of the SAŠA Regional Development Programme 2021-2027, organised a public debate with members of regional bodies during the public consultation on the Act on the Development Restructuring of the SAŠA Region on Monday, 18 August.

The head of the SAŠA Centre for Just Transition, Katarina Ostruh, M.A., began by presenting the draft Act on the Development Restructuring of the Savinja-Šaleška Region and the starting points for the Act’s programme, prepared at the regional level. The participants then discussed the content and necessary changes in groups.

In the strategic project Renovation of the District Heating System, comments referred to a clearer definition of phases II and III of the project, the amount of funds envisaged, and the regulation of heat price caps after April 2027 until the successful transition to renewable energy sources (RES). Several comments were made regarding the content of Article 11 of the Act, which defines the reorganisation of the energy location and the financing of the construction of a solar power plant on Družmirje Lake. The development of the cultural and creative sector must include public institutions and organisations from the entire SAŠA region, and in the provision of non-profit housing, tenants should be allowed to purchase their homes during the transition period. One hundred percent financing should be provided for the operation of the Coal Mining Museum, and proposals also referred to the method of purchasing strategic development real estate and the amount of co-financing.

Participants in the discussion emphasised, among other things, that the programme should be adopted sooner than planned, namely within a maximum of three months of the adoption of the Act. Proposals for a draft programme of the Act were also submitted.

DISCUSSION ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND NEEDS

On Tuesday, 19 August, the SAŠA Development Agency, in cooperation with the mayors of the municipalities of the SAŠA region, the Savinjsko-Šaleška Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SŠGZ), the Mozirje Regional Chamber of Crafts and Entrepreneurship, and the Velenje Regional Chamber of Crafts and Entrepreneurship, organised a discussion on the opportunities and needs of the region’s economy for all companies in the SAŠA region. The draft Act on the Development Restructuring of the Savinjsko-Šaleška Region was presented by Srečko Đurov, State Secretary at the Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development (MKRR), while the starting points of the Act’s programme, prepared at the regional level, were presented by Katarina Ostruh, Head of the SAŠA Centre for Just Transition.

The discussion was led by Peter Dermol, President of the SAŠA Regional Development Council and Mayor of the Municipality of Velenje. In his opinion, despite the delay, the Act, which is currently under public review, is a good basis that can be improved with proposals from the region. Restructuring is a demanding process that requires the cooperation of various stakeholders. Mr. Dermol warned that the debate on the content of the Act should not begin only after its adoption, so programme guidelines for measures will be prepared at the regional level already during the public debate on the Act. The region wants the Act to be adopted as soon as possible and the necessary financial resources to be secured for its implementation.

State Secretary Srečko Đurov explained that the ministry will respond to all initiatives received and, after the public debate has concluded, will continue with the procedures for adopting the Act in the National Assembly. He said that the Act on the Development Restructuring is being prepared in coordination with the Act on the Transitional Financing of the Accelerated and Fair Exit from Coal and the Act on the Gradual Closure of the Velenje Coal Mine, which is also in preparation and is based on the principles of a fair transition and the “nothing about you without you” approach.

Matevž Frangež, State Secretary at the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism, and Sport, pointed out that the draft programme prepared by the region clearly reflects the region’s situation, which is consistent with the programme areas defined in the Act and the principles of a just transition. Among other things, Mr. Frangež responded to a question about the reopening of the call for proposals for incentives from the Just Transition Fund. The call is in the final stages of coordination with the European Commission. The deadline for implementing projects under this call will be extended until June 2028, and companies will be able to claim costs from the date of application for the first call in 2024.

Samo Mirnik, Vice-President of the SŠGZ Management Board, expressed the opinion that a large part of the added value generated by the energy sector will have to be replaced by the activities of other companies in the region, which will be an extremely challenging task. Entrepreneurs need help in the form of incentives and concessions that will help them plan investments in a highly unpredictable economic and geopolitical environment.

Boris Goličnik, National Coordinator for Just Transition and Mayor of the Municipality of Šoštanj, is convinced that the Act on the Development Restructuring is an opportunity to right the historical, social, and environmental injustices that have been inflicted on the Municipality of Šoštanj in the past due to coal mining. The success of the development transformation will depend on the programme, which, in his opinion, should be allocated EUR 400 million.

During the discussion, proposals were made by companies belonging to the Premogovnik Velenje Group (PV), the Šaleška Valley Agricultural Cooperative, the Turna company from Šoštanj, and several individuals. The proposals related to the inclusion of measures for the development of agriculture, the promotion of retraining and education for employees at TEŠ and the PV Group, and concerns were also expressed regarding the construction of a floating solar power plant. A proposal was submitted for the financing of the underground part of the Slovenian Mining Museum, and an initiative was put forward to promote the operation and development of basic transport infrastructure in the region.

The SAŠA Development Agency will continue to coordinate the content of the Act in the coming weeks and will respond to the comments received during the public consultation process.

Proposals for amendments to the Act on the Development Restructuring may be submitted by any individual until 25 August 2025 via the portal E-demokracija.