RECONSTRUCTION of the Koper - Ljubljana line, including a second route from Koper to Divaca, and electrification of the Pragersko - Hodos route are the top priorities for infrastructure investment in Slovenia.

At the end of March, Transport Minister Janez Bozic confirmed that planning work was underway on the two schemes with a view to applying for EU grants. Koper - Ljubljana forms part of Corridor V which is a European priority project.

Around €12·5 is needed this year to fund the design work, with the upgrade to cost €700m in total. As the project is not expected to be complete before 2015, work is underway on upgrading the existing Koper - Divaca line for completion in 2008. The Koper port authority is lobbying for the second line, which it says is essential to handle increasing throughput.

According to Bozic, electrification of the line from Pragersko to the Hungarian border at Hodos is scheduled for completion by 2013 at an estimated cost of €150m.