Brussels, 29/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 28 October 2010, the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced the award of two loans to Slovenia.
A €100 million loan will help implement a 2010-2013 investment programme to improve gas transmission capacity by expanding and upgrading infrastructure to keep pace with demand. This programme will involve building some 235 km of gas pipes and compression facilities across the country.
The second loan, of €50 million, is for the Slovene Export and Development Bank (SID) to co-finance small and medium-sized investments aimed at increasing the environmental sustainability and safety of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. This is expected to be achieved through the development of components or systems for new generations of energy-efficient power-trains, weight reduction or other means of reducing emissions from vehicles, or through active or passive safety systems. In July 2009, the EIB provided a loan of €380 million to SID, part of which (€80 million) focused on the development of new generation vehicle technology and car emissions reduction and has been fully allocated to 19 projects. (O.L./transl.fl)