Slovenia’s coal regions to transition with pharma, energy, and tech investments
As Slovenia plans to phase out coal in the coming years, €83 million has been approved for projects to restructure the country's two coal regions. The money comes from the EU's Just Transition Fund, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.
Eligible for just transition funding is the central Zasavje region, where coal mining stopped a decade ago, and the northern Savinja-Šalek region, home to the country's only operating coal mine and coal-fired thermal plant.
The SPIRIT investment promotion agency has approved nine projects for Zasavje with a total of €30.5 million in co-funding, and 15 in the Savinja-Šalek region, which will get €52.5 million.
Projects in Zasavje to create over 100 jobs
In Zasavje, €9.4 million will go to Eti Elektroelement, a major manufacturer of fuses, switches and circuit breakers, to expand production in new facilities.
The metalworking company Skitti will receive €5.2 million for a new building, while software developer Dewesoft will obtain €4.2 million to set up a technopark.
The eMeM Novi Materiali development centre will get €3.2 million for a demonstration centre for advanced innovative technology, Kovit Projekti will receive €2.9 million for hydro plant component production, while the metal processing company Herz will receive €2.3 million for an investment in Trbovlje.
Three more projects are worth around €1 million each.
According to the Zasavje regional development agency, the projects will create more than 100 new jobs.
Savinja-Šalek to develop pharma, energy projects
In Savinja-Šalek, the companies Vonpharma SI and Ergopharma will receive €10 million each to set up production lines for medicines and food supplements.
The pharma company Vital QI will be awarded €9.7 million to set up tablet production, Novast will get €7.2 million for an investment into polymer processing, while household appliance maker Gorenje will get €5 million to diversify production towards more sustainable products.
Just under two million euros will go to Autotech for an automation development centre and €1.7 million to the IT company Mega M to set up a sustainable mobility and energy management system.
Esotech will receive €1.5 million for R&D automation, while the appliance component maker Turna will get €1.2 million and construction company RGP €1.1 million to expand production.
A further five companies will receive under one million euros each for various investments into production and energy.
SPIRIT Slovenija approved 24 out of 71 applications and allocated the majority of the available €83.1 million of EU funds, with only €160,000 for Zasavje having remained unallocated.
