"Holding with Hungary, stake of Luka Koper and prioritised trains are not on the table"

Talks continue

The financial contribution of Luka Koper for the rail line has also been discussed – Leben claimed that the government predicted an investment of 10 million euros and not 18, as Luka Koper calculated by taking into consideration the initial parameters of taxation. Foto: BoBo

The Slovenian Ministry of Infrastructure expects Luka Koper to contribute 10 million euros for the new Koper-Divača railway line but the company disagrees with the terms. The ministry insists there would be no logistical holding co-founded with Hungary and has also been in talks with the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The management board of Luka Koper has had a meeting with the representatives of the Infrastructure Ministry regarding the Koper-Divača rail line. According to state secretary Jure Leben, the ministry presented the operative stare of the project. Luka Koper openly informed the ministry about other possible solutions and proposals about legal issues, explained Leban, adding that "he is glad to inform that talks will continue". Moreover, the ministry will immediately contact the Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SDH) to discuss possible amendments to legislation and try to optimise the project.

The state secretary refused to name key issues where the ministry and the port of Koper differ until appropriate solutions are agreed upon and then presented to the public. The two sides have also not talked about countries in the hinterland, emphasized Leben.

"Owning a stake in Luka Koper is not on the table; neither are priority treatment of train compositions nor a holding," assured Leban when asked what demands Hungarians had set to help fund the project. The ministry will meet Hungarian negotiators again on 25 April, and when results of the talks are known they will be presented to the public.

Luka Koper insists on its own calculations
The financial contribution of Luka Koper for the rail line has also been discussed – Leben claimed that the government predicted an investment of 10 million euros and not 18, as Luka Koper calculated by taking into consideration the initial parameters of taxation. The proposal also expects the two parties to set up a methodology for further investments stemming from increases in cargo loading quantities. However, the government has still not obtained the port's pledge to pay the contribution. Leben also declined to elaborate on the proposal brought forward by a civic initiative that proposes the SŽ-Infrastruktura company, a subsidiary of Slovenian Railways, to take over the management and construction of the rail line rather than 2TDK, newly founded precisely for this project.

The ministry plans to carry out several other meetings on this topic in the coming days and weeks, e.g. with the Chambers of Commerce and Small Businesses, the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption as well as the civic initiative.

Andrej Čebokli, MMC; translated by K. Z.