Ljubljana - The Infrastructure Ministry has issued a decree making public transport in Slovenia free of charge for refugees from Ukraine, Minister Jernej Vrtovec said on Twitter on Friday.

Providers of public road and railway transport must now enable persons with a Ukrainian passport or ID a free ride in the country, but will be reimbursed by the state.

The decree is in place until further notice or up to six months.

Earlier this week, Slovenia welcomed the first refugees from Ukraine, including a group of 68, of whom 38 are children, and two families of Ukrainian workers of a Slovenian company working on a project in Ukraine.