"I hope we will use it," Lenarčič told the STA after the European Parliament confirmed the EU's new programme for research and innovation, running from 2014 to 2020.

He explained that the budget available is 30% higher than in the last seven-year programme and pointed out that the IJS is the biggest user of these EU funds in Slovenia while also belonging among the top beneficiaries on the European level.

EU projects, more than 140 of which are executed each year, account for 15% of the institute's revenues, double the amount usual for comparable institutes in Europe, Lenarčič elaborated.

The plan at the IJS is to further increase the share of EU funding in the new programme, with Lenarčič pointing to advantages such as European "networking, new knowledge, exchange of staff and constant access to the latest achievements". "And above all we can contribute our part ourselves," he added.

He moreover highlighted cooperation with Slovenian companies. "We are already working together with some of them, while we must put special focus on this in the future."

Commenting on the expanded budget, Lenarčič said it was a natural response to Europe falling behind in innovation, while he noted that the share of European projects that are run by European researchers is expanding in the programme.

"The main goal of all efforts is harnessing scientific research and innovation for economic development, which should also be the basic vision of Slovenia. I have been repeating this for years, but it seems that we prefer to deal with unimportant issues."

Horizon 2020 notably also bring changes with regard to the share of European funding in projects, which is being raised to 100%.

"In principle this should make it easier for countries that are not as rich, like ours, to participate...Time will show if this will really be the case."

The Horizon 2020 programme will be presented in more detail in Ljubljana on Friday by Minister of Education, Science and Sport Jernej Pikalo and EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Maire Geoghegan-Quinn.