The paper says under the headline Post Factum Policy 2.0 that seven years ago, the head of HSE, the state-owned energy producer, was telling the government and MPs that the project had already gone too far to be stopped.

Borut Meh said that EUR 125m had already been invested and that suspending the project would cause between EUR 150m and EUR 200m in additional cost.

Now, the head of 2TDK, the state-owned company in charge of the rail project, is saying that Slovenia would not be able to compensate for the EUR 200m it is to be provided by Hungary, a partner in the project, and would also lose about EUR 240m in EU funds and expenses.

The way in which the government intends to carry out the project raises a number of suspicions, especially the involvement of Hungary and the question what Slovenia is willing to give to the neighbouring country in return for its input.

The bilateral agreement is yet to be drafted and negotiations are confidential. But rumours are abound about what Slovenia will give to Hungary - including key land plots near the port or a guarantee for an unusually high return on investment.

The integrity of the project has been upheld by the fact that the agreement will be approved by the parliament. But the MPs will not simply be voting about the content - they will be burdened by responsibility that a rejection would cost a fortune.

"By now the EUR 200m from Hungary is already worth at least EUR 360m. Does this figure mean that the project can no longer be changed?" the paper wonders.