The public company 2Tdk obtains 156 million in European funds
Koper – Two important steps forward for the project to double the railway line connecting the Slovenian port of Koper. The public company 2Tdk, which oversees the construction, announced during a public ceremony that it has completed the second section of the work, between Črni Kal and Koper, and that it has obtained the expected 156 million in non-repayable European funds.
The construction site is progressing towards its conclusion, with the completion of the main works planned for the second section, including the construction of 5 tunnels, 2 viaducts, and the open-air sections. The contractors for the railway works (third section) can therefore take over half of the line, where they will begin laying the tracks. On the other half, the tracks have already been laid: 14 kilometers out of a total planned 27.
In addition to the progress on the construction site, there is the confirmation from the European Commission of the 156 million funding to support the project, which Slovenia assures will be able to move to the testing phase in March 2026. The European Commissioner for Transport, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, was present at the event to celebrate the funding announcement.
The Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob emphasized that Slovenia has an exceptional geostrategic position and that the new connection between Divača and Koper will strengthen the country as a top-tier logistics destination. “With this project, we have demonstrated that Slovenia can carry out the largest and most relevant projects on its own, or together with the European Commission,” said Golob. The Slovenian Minister of Infrastructure, Alenka Bratušek, highlighted that the project in recent years has faced numerous challenges that required significant adjustments during the work, but it still remains within the financial value estimated in 2019, of just over one billion euros: “In Slovenia, we know how to prepare and manage infrastructure projects in a way that deserves trust,” the minister concluded.
The European Commissioner Tzitzikostas stated for his part that the Commission will always support investments that strengthen rail transport in Europe and that the Second Track is a project that has managed to very well exploit combined forms of financing: “Slovenia stands out as a country that in recent years has been able to make the best use of CEF funds. So far, we have allocated over 780 million euros to the state for the development of the transport network, a full 84% of which is for railways.”
The main construction company involved, Kolektor Cpg, emphasizes that “the most difficult part of the route is now behind us. Work in tunnels and on viaducts can be risky and complex, but we have done everything in our power to carry it out in a considered and controlled manner, and above all, safely for everyone: our employees, our collaborators, and our partners.”
