While the office, which manages the project, has not revealed the number of the persons who have arrived in Slovenia, the newspaper Dnevnik said that a family of four and a married couple had arrived from Venezuela.

The office said on Tuesday that some of the persons of Slovenian descent from Venezuela would arrive in Slovenia soon, while some would need more time.

The repatriation is based on an action plan adopted by the government in mid-November, with a total of EUR 1.2 million having been set aside for the project.

It enables Slovenians from Venezuela and their family members to return to Slovenia due to the difficult living conditions in Venezuela. The office said at the time it had received applications from 53 persons.

It told the STA today that the number of repatriated persons would not necessarily be as high, as each application got individual treatment.

Some of the applicants may not be repatriated as they perhaps do not meet the conditions, while some do not know whether they could be repatriated due to personal or family circumstances, it added.

The state will cover the basic costs of living, healthcare and temporary housing, either privately- or state-owned, for Slovenians repatriated from Venezuela for 15 months.

Their family members who come with them to Slovenia but are not of Slovenian descent will meanwhile be subject to the foreigners act, according to Dnevnik.