Regions with high unemployment to get more support
The temporary measures that were introduced for the 2011-2016 period will thus be extended until the end of the 2014-2020 programme period, the Government Communication Office said after the weekly cabinet session.
The extension is, however, not envisaged for the Maribor area, which is also severely economically depressed.
The financing of development programmes in areas with high unemployment is envisaged by the act on the balanced regional development and a decree on the implementation of measures for balanced regional policy.
Registered unemployment had reached the critical point of 17% in Pokolpje, the Maribor area and in the municipalities of Hrastnik, Radeče and Trbovlje.
The government now plans to re-evaluate and unify the measures introduced in 2011 for all problematic areas to maximise their effect.
A reason for the extension of the development support are delays in the realisation of some planned infrastructural projects in these areas, caused by cuts in the state budget in the past years.
The cabinet also called for the maximum use of EU structural funds from the 2014-2020 budget.
The value of the development support for the economically depressed areas for the whole duration of the programme exceeds EUR 303m. Subsidies for companies top EUR 56m, loans stand at EUR 66m, incentives at EUR 18m and funds for infrastructure at EUR 163m.