Today, the company 2TDK marked two major milestones on the Second Track project with a ceremonial event: the completion of the southern section between Črni Kal and Koper, and the receipt of €156 million in non-repayable European funding.
Main construction works on five tunnels, two viaducts, and the open alignment in this area have been completed on Section 2, marking a key milestone in the construction of the modern railway connection on the Second Track project. Half of the railway line has thus been handed over to the railway installation contractors (Lot 3), who have already laid more than 15 km of track along the entire 27-kilometre route.
Alongside this construction milestone, the project has also received additional confirmation from the European Union: the European Commission has approved €156 million in non-repayable funding for the railway works on the line. Slovenia has thereby reached the highest possible amount under the approved cohesion envelope that a Member State can exceptionally achieve, at the expense of other less successful cohesion countries.
At the ceremonial event, Prime Minister Robert Golob highlighted that Slovenia has an exceptional geostrategic position and that the new connection between Divača and Koper will strengthen Slovenia as one of the key logistics destinations. “With this project, we have proven that Slovenia, on its own or together with the European Commission, can deliver the largest and most important projects.”
European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas stated that the European Commission will always support investments that strengthen rail transport in Europe, and that the Second Track is a project that has made very good use of combined financing models. “Slovenia stands out as a country that has made truly outstanding use of CEF funds in recent years. We have allocated more than €780 million to the development of the transport network, of which as much as 84% went to railways.”
Minister of Infrastructure Alenka Bratušek emphasised that the project has faced numerous challenges in recent years requiring significant adaptation, but that it still remains within the estimated financial value from 2019. “In Slovenia, we know how to prepare and manage infrastructure projects in a way that deserves trust.”
The CEO of 2TDK, Matej Oset, highlighted at this important milestone that the railway line is already clearly taking shape and that the Second Track is no longer a vision—but has, with the completion of Section 2, become a reality. “This is not only an engineering achievement, but the result of years of precisely coordinated work by thousands of experts, workers, and designers who believed in this project and helped bring it to life with their knowledge.”
Kristjan Mugerli, CEO of Kolektor CPG and the main partner in the consortium of civil works contractors on the project, also emphasised the contribution of many people. “Most of the demanding path is now behind us. Works in tunnels and on viaducts can be risky and challenging, but we have done everything in our power to ensure they were carried out carefully and in a controlled manner, and above all safely for all our employees, colleagues, and partners.”
Both achievements—the completion of construction works on one of the key sections and the strengthened European financial support—confirm that the Second Track project is successfully progressing through its most demanding phase and is recognised by the European Union as strategically important for the broader European transport network.
