Unofficially, Slovenia will fail to get several ten million euros from EU cohesion funds and the European Regional Development Fund.

Slovenia is likely to fail at phasing EU cohesion funds because some projects will not be realised in time and the backup projects will not be enough to draw all of the funds available to the country under the (2007-2013) perspective for this year.

Slovenia is aware of the problem, the country's representatives in Brussels said, adding that the country could still get all of the money with new projects.

However, there are two major problems: the EUR 27m for a bypass road in Škofja Loka (NW), as the project still lacks a contractor; and EUR 17m will be left unused after shareholders of port operator Aerodrom Ljubljana voted against a new passenger terminal.

The gist of the problem are allegedly poorly prepared projects in water supply and transport infrastructure. There are also problems with the drawing up of zoning plans.

In the 2007-2014 financial perspective Slovenia is entitled to a total of EUR 4.2bn from various EU funds. In the upcoming financial perspective, the funds available will be lower.

In the new perspective, Slovenia will be divided to two cohesion regions: the less developed eastern and the more developed western region. The former will be eligible for EUR 1.26bn in the seven-year period, while the latter could get a total of EUR 860m from the structural funds.

Moreover, Slovenia as a country will be eligible for a total of EUR 1bn from the Cohesion Fund for projects in transport and environment infrastructure and sustainable energy use.

Under the new cohesion policy, which is currently being drafted, the conditions for phasing are to change significantly. Among other things, each country will have to draw up a national strategy to indicate where the funds would be best invested.

By the end of 2016 the countries will moreover have to adopt strategic plans for the fields of transport and environment to be able to continue the drawing of funds.

The European Commission is also to examine the situation in each member state and issue recommendations for improvements.

Regional Development Commissioner Johannes Hahn told some 5,500 participants at the European Week of Regions and Cities that the next perspective would invest in programmes aiming to create jobs and increase loan guarantees and loans to boost investments.