EU leader promises aid to flood-ravaged Slovenia
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Slovenia on Wednesday and promised EU help to the small member state which was ravaged by recent floods that killed at least six people and caused extensive damage.
Von der Leyen said after meeting with Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob that they discussed a package of “three components” designed to provide immediate financial aid but also mid and long-term support for reconstruction.
“I am here today to let Slovenia and the Slovenian
people know that Europe stands by your side,” said von der Leyen, who visited a hard-hit village in
northern Slovenia, by the border with Austria, to get a first-hand view of the devastation.
Von der Leyen said $110 million this year from the EU’s Solidarity Fund and $330 million in 2024 will be made accessible to Slovenia. Additionally, it can draw from other funds or reprogram existing ones, she added.
“A lot of investment has to be done for the recovery of this country,” she said. “Slovenia can count on Europe.”
Slovenian officials have described last week’s floods as the worst natural disaster in the country’s 32-year history. Two-thirds of the Alpine state’s territory was affected and the damage could reach billions of dollars, according to officials.