The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, concluded the government's visit to Spodnje Podravje with a charity football match in Gorišnica. This has been the cabinet's second visit to the region, the first one taking place in February 2006. At an afternoon press conference in Destrnik, the PM explained that Spodnje Podravje was at the lower end of the list of regions in terms of development, but that its gap in comparison with Slovenia's development average has been narrowing. He said it was encouraging that since their last visit to the region, added value per employee had increased, while unemployment had decreased by 35 per cent.
(Photo: Grega Wernig/Salomon 2000)
According to PM Janez Janša, the reduced gap was greatly to the credit of the regional economy, which is exceptionally development-oriented. Economic growth has also been reflected well in the labour market. "The fall in unemployment is one of the greatest in Slovenia," said the PM, stressing that the region was experiencing an increased demand for labour, particularly in the construction, transport and food sectors, and the metallurgical industry.
(Photo: Bor Slana/Bobo)
From 2004 to 2005 Spodnje Podravje received almost 6 million euros worth of European funds for 46 projects in tourism, agriculture, forestry, economic infrastructure and public services. In addition, the region drew more than 3 million euros from INTERREG and cross-border cooperation programmes, and 19 million euros from the Cohesion Fund for the Integral Protection of Groundwater of Ptujsko Polje project. On this occasion the PM called on the local authorities and promoters of development to continue taking advantage of the development funds available to Slovenia under the Financial Perspective 2007–2013, and to take already successful projects as examples of good practice.
(Photo: Bor Slana/Bobo)
When meeting members of the press, the PM stressed the significance of the new Financing of Municipalities Act, which adds 10.5 million euros to the resources of local authorities in the region. "On the basis of this law, all municipalities in the region receive more," said the PM, adding that with the new act the resources of municipalities had increased by over 10 million euros, or an average of 26 per cent. "Despite these improvements, people in Spodnje Podravje live in much more difficult conditions than people in central Slovenia," said the PM. "There are still households in some municipalities which have to invest several thousand euros to get a drinking water connection. From this point of view, it is cynical of some rich Slovenian municipalities and their mayors to say that Slovenia should return to the old system of financing municipalities which generated such demographic and development differences," said the PM.
PM Janez Janša also mentioned dividing the country into 14 regions, one of Slovenia's strategic projects, which will make Spodnje Podravje a region with 19 municipalities, the ninth in terms of size and population. According to the PM, 34 million euros are to be transferred from the state budget for regional tasks, and an additional 10 million for development tasks. "These are considerable funds, which will not be taken from municipalities and brought together at the level of regions, but will be transferred from the state budget," said the PM.
The PM and the ministers attended over sixty events and meetings. At a morning session in Ormož, they analysed the situation and development potential in the region, and examined which points agreed on in February 2006 have been realised. Cabinet members agreed that the majority of last year's promises and commitments have been or are being kept and met, and discussed the new development opportunities that have arisen in Spodnje Podravje.
(Photo: Grega Wernig/Salomon 2000)
PM Janez Janša later also visited Perutnina Ptuj, where he stressed that this is a good Slovenian company with a hundred years of tradition, bold plans and the ambition of becoming one of the key regional players in its industry. The Government supports this, and will continue to do so in the future. The PM and his hosts agreed that further efforts would need to be invested in promoting quality home produce. To this end, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food has been finalising a draft act that will regulate the planning and implementation of the generic promotion of agricultural and food products. Given the fact that Perutnina Ptuj is a successful company making good profits, the PM drew attention to the other side of the coin. "Yesterday I took an opportunity to speak with several employees of this company, who mentioned the other side of the coin – relatively low wages in comparison to the Slovenian and European average. Perhaps more could be done to improve the financial position of employees," said PM Janez Janša.
(Photo: Grega Wernig/Salomon 2000)
The PM also took a tour of the Zvonček Kindergarten at Ptuj, one of the most modern educational institutions in the region, the renovation of which was co-financed by the Ministry of Education and Sport and 38 other investors.
(Photo: Bor Slana/Bobo)
In the late afternoon, PM Janez Janša and the ministers met mayors, business representatives, deputies, members of the National Council, and other stakeholders in Spodnje Podravje to discuss development prospects and opportunities in this part of Slovenia. They agreed that the new system of financing municipalities, the planned regionalisation and the prospect of development incentives from EU funds offered scores of new opportunities. The region's political and business representatives and public figures assessed the visit as successful and productive. In their view, the Government has kept nearly every promise made just over a year ago.
(Photo: Bor Slana/Bobo)
At the end of the Government's visit to Spodnje Podravje, the Government team took on a team of regional business representatives and politicians in a charity football match in Gorišnica, winning the game by 7:3.
