Škofljica - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec has pledged that a bypass road would be built to relieve Škofljica, a town just south-east of Ljubljana, of traffic on the very busy Ljubljana-Kočevje road, which cuts through the town centre.

He said as he met Mayor Ivan Jordan in Škofljica on Thursday that the new road would be sited together with a second track planned on the Ljubljana-Ivančna Gorica railway.

Vrtovec could not say where exactly the new road would run, telling the STA that it was premature to say that "but the important thing is that we take steps forward".

The mayor was happy with the meeting, saying: "This is the first time we talked openly. I outlined out problems to the minister and he pledged to solve them if he remains minister" after the general election.

Vrtovec also discussed some other infrastructure projects in the area before the government visits the entire southern part of Central Slovenia on Friday.

He also said that his ministry and the municipality of Grosuplje would sign a EUR 9 million contract to co-finance various projects, from crossroads to cycling routes.