Politics
Regional Infrastructure Investment Bill Clears First Reading, Directing Funds to Ljubljana Transport Projects
The measure allocates 42 million euros for road and rail upgrades in Ljubljana, with hiring for 650 construction and maintenance roles scheduled to start in 2027.
How we reported this
The Slovenian National Assembly advanced the Regional Infrastructure Investment Bill through its first reading on 7 July 2026. The legislation sets aside dedicated funding for transport and utility works inside Ljubljana municipality, with the city administration required to submit project plans by December 2026.
Parliamentary records show the bill emerged from the 2025-2026 budget cycle after the Finance Ministry identified shortfalls in maintenance spending across five regional centres. Ljubljana accounts for 28 percent of the national road and rail traffic volume recorded by the Slovenian Infrastructure Agency in 2025, which placed the city at the top of the priority list for new allocations.
Jobs and services tied to specific sites
Under the bill, 650 positions are projected in Ljubljana for civil engineering crews, signalling technicians and rolling-stock maintenance staff. The city’s public transport operator, Ljubljanski potniški promet, is listed as the lead agency for hiring 180 of those roles at the new depot planned beside the existing railway station on Trg OF. Another 120 jobs are earmarked for resurfacing the ring road between the Bežigrad and Vič districts, where the municipality recorded 14,300 daily vehicle movements in its 2025 traffic count.
Local service delivery is also addressed. The bill requires the Ljubljana Water and Sewerage Company to expand capacity at the central treatment plant on the Ljubljanica by 15 percent, using part of the 42 million euro envelope. Residents in the Moste and Polje neighbourhoods would receive the first connections under the expansion, according to the draft project schedule released by the utility in June 2026.
Budget figures and next steps
Official budget papers attached to the bill list 42 million euros for Ljubljana works out of a total 148 million euros national package. The Ministry of Infrastructure states that 60 percent of the city allocation must be committed to contracts by the end of 2027, with the remainder released after independent audits by the Court of Audit.
City council committees are scheduled to review detailed tender documents in September 2026. Final parliamentary approval of the bill is listed for the autumn session, after which the government says disbursement to contractors can begin in the first quarter of 2027.