I hope we have some good housing projects in Slovenia

With the changed geopolitical and economic conditions, the European Investment Bank (EIB) has also been adapted to its financial and economic conditions, which in recent years has invested more than one billion euros in Slovenian transport and energy infrastructure. EIB emphasizes defense and security financing, including double use infrastructure and transformation of European industry into new defense programs, investments in critical resources and housing construction. EIB, for example, is already talking to several public institutions in Slovenia to finance housing construction, said EIB Vice President in an interview Kiriakos Kakuris.

The EIB promotes the financing of the European security and defense industry and infrastructure, such as military vehicles, drones, helicopters, radars, cyber safety, military equipment and also critical infrastructure. What do you see in critical infrastructure? Also roads, railways?

Yes, the EIB Group has greatly expanded its eligibility framework to include a wider range of critical infrastructure projects that contribute to security and strategic autonomy of Europe. This not only includes military -specific infrastructure, such as warehouses or borders security systems, but also double -use infrastructure, such as roads and railways that increase military mobility. For example, modern and resistant transport networks are essential for both civilian use and defense. Therefore, investments in roads and railways – where they comply with the EU’s priorities – are truly treated as critical infrastructure and are entitled to EIB support.

While the automotive industry is shrinking, the industry is also looking for new opportunities in defense. How can EIB help?

The EIB Group strengthens its role in supporting European industrial defense capabilities. With our extended initiative for strategic European security, now involved as a cross -sectoral political objective, we can finance projects in areas such as drones, advanced avionics, radars, cyber security and military mobility. We are ready to fund research and development, innovation and dual -use technologies that strengthen the European industrial base and create synergies between civil and defense industries. This to the companies – even those who are going from sectors, such as automotive – impossible new opportunities for growth, while enhancing the strategic autonomy of Europe.

Due to the reduction of competitiveness, Europe has lost autonomy in access to materials such as primary aluminum. The EIB has adopted a new strategic initiative for critical raw materials that will strengthen the role of EIB as a financing provider and consulting support for projects throughout the value chain. The new initiative includes two billion euros in financing for investments in critical raw materials this year. What investments will you support?

The new EIB strategic initiative for critical raw materials (CRM) is a comprehensive effort to provide Europe’s access to materials that are essential for the transition to green, digital and defense technology. We will support investment throughout the value chain – from responsible mining and processing to recycling and development of substitutes. This includes materials such as lithium, copper and rare soil that are crucial for batteries, semiconductors, renewable energy systems and defense applications. Projects in and outside the EU will be eligible if they comply with environmental, social and management standards. A special CRM project team and a single contact point will support the development of high quality projects.

In the last five years, the EIB Group has invested more than one billion euros in Slovenia. You have already told me that future projects can include further upgrades of the transport network, the expansion of the electricity network to include renewable energy sources and investment in sustainable traffic solutions. Do you see any other options for investing in Slovenia?

Certainly. Slovenia is a strong partner of the EIB Group and we see several promising areas for future cooperation. Based on our recent support for transport and energy infrastructure, we see opportunities in areas such as electricity updates for better integration of renewable energy sources, sustainable public transport solutions and improving energy efficiency. There is also great potential in the support of regional environmental initiatives and sectors based on innovation and green technologies. These areas are closely linked to our priorities and development goals of Slovenia and are a solid basis for effective future investments.

EIB is one of the possible sources to support the Slovenian housing plan. Photo: Leon Vidic

The EIB Group has announced the launch of an action plan to support residential construction. You will provide counseling and financing to support innovation in the construction sector, construction of affordable housing, and investments in energy efficiency and renovation of the housing stock. The EIB plans to invest about ten billion euros in the next two years. In the next ten years, Slovenia intends to invest one hundred million euros in public rental housing per year. Is EIB one of the possible sources of money for this plan?

Yes, the EIB Group is definitely one of the possible sources to support the Slovenian housing plan. We have recently launched an EIB action plan for housing construction, in which investments worth about ten billion euros have been planned in the next two years throughout Europe. Our goal is to support accessible, sustainable and energy -efficient housing through financing and consulting services. We are fully aligned with the ambitions of Slovenia to increase the supply of quality housing and are ready to contribute both by investment and consulting. Talks with several public stakeholders in Slovenia are already underway and I hope that we will have some good projects in this area.

What investments in the field of energy efficiency and renovation will you support?

Energy efficiency and home renovation are high on our agenda. In accordance with the new EIB Action Plan for Housing Construction, we are undertaken to finance numerous projects, including a thorough renovation of the current housing stock, new construction using innovative and sustainable techniques and support for municipal renovation programs. These projects not only help reduce emissions and lower energy accounts, but also to social well -being and economic resistance. In the future, we will support investments with a strong impact on the climate and affordability.