Rasi Calls for Second Green Transport Funding Call for Regions (2)

Bratislava/Prievidza 27 July (TASR) - House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) has called for the launch of a second funding call to support zero-emission public passenger transport in regions undergoing transformation and will ask the relevant commission and monitoring committee to discuss the call and respect the priorities set under the Just Transition Fund. Rasi made the statement after meeting representatives of local governments from the Upper Nitra area in Bratislava on Monday. The parliamentary chair said that the meeting was a response to an open letter from local authorities, which pointed out that, despite previous promises, the Investment, Regional Development and Informatization (MIRRI) Ministry hasn't launched the second call to support zero-emission transport. "Local authorities have declared that they're ready to draw funding for electric buses or hydrogen buses, that they can complete public procurements and implement EU funds, but above all, that this money will go towards what they themselves consider to be priorities," stated Rasi, who pointed out that MIRRI promised to launch a call for charging stations, which he said is also important, but not a priority for local authorities. Prievidza mayor Katarina Machackova noted that there was a clear promise that funding calls would be launched according to the needs of the regions, which, she said, hasn't been happening. "We're ready, and we genuinely don't know the real reason why such a call hasn't been announced," underlined Machackova. On behalf of local authorities, she also called on MIRRI's leadership to fulfil its commitments, listen to local people and avoid changing calls without prior consultation. On 17 July, MIRRI said it respected the right of local authorities to present their demands and pledged to continue to examine them, but explained why a new call for public transport support has not yet been issued. The ministry described the planned charging infrastructure call as necessary, with future funding calls to be designed to support regional transformation as effectively as possible while ensuring maximum use of resources from the Just Transition Fund. On Monday, the ministry said the fund has already financed environmentally-friendly public transport projects in several Slovak cities and that a number of municipalities have already received new buses through the programme. It added that, since the current leadership took office, support for the Upper Nitra region has remained a priority, with the ministry actively seeking legal and financial solutions to extend assistance to the area. "We are currently working with the possibility of using savings from other projects financed by the Just Transition Fund. These savings create room to prepare a funding call for the procurement of environmentally-friendly buses for Upper Nitra. The ministry has been communicating this approach on an ongoing basis with representatives of local authorities," it said. MIRRI also criticised statements by representatives of Voice-SD, who had previously led the ministry. "Instead of recognising that the ministry is seeking a concrete solution to a problem they themselves failed to resolve while in office, they are trying to turn it into a political issue," the ministry claimed. NOTE: This story has been extended to include the final five paragraphs mf