The new municipal spatial plan, which has been adopted, introduces a 94 hectare industrial zone in the Municipality of Hoče - Slivnica. A big auto paint shop is to be built in the zone in June or July, as soon as the construction permit is obtained, which will employ around 400 people. Mayor Marko Soršak explained that "the municipal spatial plan (OPN) is a pre-condition for the strategic investor to submit an application to the government in order to make the strategic investment".
By adopting the OPN the municipality has lost around 77 hectares of agricultural land. In line with legislation the lost land will be replaced with new land to be acquired by cutting down forests in the area of Rogoza. However, the issue of land ownership is still an open question. "I hope we can still reach an agreement and find a solution which will not be unacceptable for the farmers," said the mayor.
The deadline for a deal with the locals is the end of March. After that date the government will have the option to expropriate land, but everyone hopes it will not come to that. The expropriation of land could initiate a constitutional review of the matter, which could jeopardize the whole project.
Negligible environmental impact
There are also many concerns about the impact the paint shop will have on the environment. Rajko Sterguljc, who prepared the spatial plan, says the impacts are negligible i.e. even smaller than the impact conventional farming has on land: "It is a fact that all the analyses and technological projects so far have shown that the activities to be carried out are extremely safe - the paint shop itself ensures a double and triple level of protection. On the demand of the state we have also introduced two additional protective measures."
Proof that Magne Steyr is seriously approaching the project is the fact that they have also started searching for their first employees.