Gov't Approves €1.8 mn and Tasks for Development of Zilina and Bytca Districts

Bratislava/Visnove, 29 October (TASR) - At its away-from-home session in the village of Visnove (Zilina region) on Wednesday, the government approved an allocation of €1.8 million for the development and needs of local governments, organisations and communities in the districts of Bytca and Zilina. "More than €1.3 million of the total allocated contribution is intended for projects launched by towns and villages in Zilina and Bytca districts and other corporate entities and the rest for bigger projects," said Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD), who submitted the proposal. The host municipality of the away-from-home session, Visnove, will receive €50,000 for building sports infrastructure. The UNIZA internationalisation project for Zilina University will receive €40,000, as will the Rajecka Valley Regional Tourism Organisation for its project in support of the summer spa season. An additional €40,000 will go for constructing a viewing platform for visitors to Lietava Castle. The resolution also includes tasks for individual ministries that should help the region in the economic and social areas. In addition to accelerating activities aimed at opening the Visnove tunnel, Transport Minister Jozef Raz (a Smer-SD nominee) should oversee the modernisation of Zilina railway junction by the end of the year. This is currently the biggest railway infrastructure project being implemented in Slovakia. Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) has been tasked with providing full cooperation to Zilina Faculty Hospital in supplementing the hospital's equipment with a portable X-ray machine. He's also been given several tasks regarding the development of spa tourism in the region. Agriculture Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) should assess the options for motivating local potato and fruit producers with the aim of expanding the cultivation of these traditional commodities while taking into account the specific conditions of the area. ko/df