Slovenia is capable of carrying out large infrastructure projects well and efficiently, but lengthy spatial planning procedures remain a significantly greater challenge. Matej Oset, CEO of 2TDK, drew attention to this and emphasized that we need to make progress in this area if we want to ensure that the infrastructure the Slovenian economy needs is delivered on time. “The second-track project has been underway since 2019, and if we compare it to other major infrastructure projects in Austria, Germany, Italy, or France, we see that delays in some comparable projects are two to three times longer,” emphasized Oset, who participated in the roundtable discussion “Supply Chain Resilience in Times of Global Change” at the Logistics Platform conference.
A significant part of the discussion was also devoted to the rail infrastructure and the capacity of the connection between the Port of Koper and its hinterland. The existing rail line between Koper and Divača has been at full capacity for several years, so the economy needs additional rail capacity as soon as possible. “Currently, the existing line can handle about 90 trains per day. The line has been at capacity since 2018, and every month we lose represents a loss for the economy. All work on the second track will be completed by the end of this year, and we expect to obtain the necessary permits early next year. Due to the limited capacity of the existing line, the Slovenian economy loses more than 100 million euros in added value annually,” said Oset. He also emphasized that the importance of the second track cannot be measured solely in terms of additional freight throughput. A high-capacity and reliable rail connection enables Slovenia to better leverage its strategic location on European transport corridors and generate more added value for the domestic economy.
The discussion also showed that the resilience of supply chains does not depend solely on individual infrastructure investments. A competitive Slovenian logistics system requires the coordinated operation of the entire chain—from the port and rail infrastructure to transportation, distribution, and the end user.
