Velenje/Ljubljana – The town of Velenje in northeastern Slovenia hosted a two-day conference on the transition of European coal regions, which was attended by the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for the European Green Deal, Maroš Šefčovič. He emphasized the need to develop mechanisms that will help these regions in their transition.
Some solutions have already been offered in the past, but participants at this conference organized by the Commission urged Brussels to ensure that the mechanisms promoting a quality transition of coal regions are maintained in the next multiannual EU budget, as the processes in the Union must be concluded towards improving infrastructure and creating new jobs for young generations.
The Commission will begin preparing the first outlines of the next long-term EU budget for the period 2028-2034 next year, Šefčovič announced.
Slovenian Minister for Cohesion and Regional Development Aleksander Jevšek stressed that the green transition is inevitable for Europe, Slovenia, and also for Velenje.
According to him, funds for the green transition and restructuring of the two Slovenian coal regions – Zasavje and Šalek – are provided within the EU’s Just Transition Fund.
The Vice-President of the Commission also discussed the green transition in Ljubljana with the Slovenian Minister of Economy Matjaž Han. They agreed that the green transition must be approached in a way that does not limit the competitiveness of the economy. (July 10 and 11)