The investment plan, endorsed on Thursday, is seen as a step closer to a bill to secure state guarantees for large infrastructure projects, to be submitted by the Infrastructure Ministry.

The cost estimate for the Velenje-Slovenj Gradec section is made at current prices, including financing costs and excluding VAT.

Apart from construction work, the value also includes costs such as those for the acquisition of plots and buildings, of the oversight engineer.

DARS, the state-run motorway company, said that the cost estimate was made considering the current stage of the project development. A more detailed estimate is to follow.

DARS told the STA that a public tender to pick a contractor for the implementation of first construction works on the section will be published later this month.

Work will start at the Gaberke slip road, which is one of the three locations where works could start this year.

The Velenje-Slovenj Gradec is one section of the 31.5 km north leg of the north-sooth expressway known as the Third Development Axis, the other section linking Velenje with the A1 motorway at Šentrupert.

The south leg will link the A2 at Novo Mesto east to Maline in the south-east of the country, running to about 18 kilometres.

After the Constitutional Court recently rejected a petition against the zoning plan for the Šentrupert-Velenje section, procedures are under way for this section as well.

The contract for the project design for the 14 km section, valued at EUR 11.5 million, was signed on 21 June 21. Appraisal of plots needed for the section has also been under way.