Cerar pointed out that it was time for citizens to decide whether Slovenia would stagnate or vote for progress.

The prime minister said he was pleased to see the construction of the 1.2-kilometre siding seen as temporary solution and the beginning of construction for the planned second rail track between the port and the Divača hub inland going according to schedule and in line with financial plans.

"I am particularly glad that Slovenian companies are involved in the construction, which is important as this increases employment," he said.

The consortium of companies Kolektor Koling, CGP and CPG are to finish the works this autumn.

The siding connecting the port and the Dekani sub-station will allow the port to load trains faster while relieving the burden on the Koper freight terminal.

Cerar stressed that the second track was to gradually create 9,000 new jobs.

Infrastructure Minister Peter Gašperšič said the second track was crucial for the development of the country's economy, rail operator Slovenske železnice and port operator Luka Koper.

"Our project has been widely supported by the countries involved in the project, the European Commission as well as the European Investment Bank. I believe that citizens will recognize the importance of the development project in the upcoming referendum," he said.

While the head of Slovenske železnice, Dušan Mes, attended today's event, no representatives of Luka Koper were present.

"We know there is at least one person at the very top of Luka Koper who is reluctant to support this project, which I find very surprising. We know that Luka Koper, the supervisory board and the management support the project, so I expect that in the coming days and weeks, the management will show a more decisive support to the project, as it benefits the port operator to a great extent at the end of the day," said Cerar.

Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek and head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) Boštjan Gorjup also highlighted the importance of the second track. Počivalšek said that most of Slovenia's GDP comes from exports and called Luka Koper Slovenia's "window into the world". "If we want development, we need the second track," he said.

Gorjup noted that Slovenia's exporters will expand by 10% or EUR 3bn this year. "If we hadn't taken the risk in the 1990s of building a motorway network, we would be witnessing a collapse now or at least not experiencing this kind of growth," he said.

Infrastructure Ministry State Secretary Jure Leben, who is in charge of the second track project, said that an invitation to tender for the construction of access roads to the building site of the railway was published today. "The project is valued at EUR 20m excluding VAT. It is a project of the present and we must not let others beat us to it," he said.