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Soča 2013

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Name / Title

Soča 2013

Case Study Region

Goriška region, Slovenia

Geographical coverage

SočaValley, Northern Primorska

 Type

Business; funding scheme; training scheme, government

 

Main activity / focus

 

State support programme for Upper Soča Valley started in 2002 after the area had been severely damaged by two earthquakes (in 1998).

Target beneficiaries / market

Public and private sector in Upper Soča Valley

Year established

2002-2013

Current Funding source(s)

National budget: 17 million €

Participants

 

  • PRC Tolmin (RDA with 24 employees in late 2010, i. e. 2nd biggest RDA in Slovenia)
  • firms in Upper Soča Valley (approx. 1000)
  • municipalities (Tolmin, Bovec, Kobarid: 19.000 inhabitants)
  • students
  • adults, wiling to participate in training

 

Website

http://www.prc.si/programi-projekti/razvojni-program-soca

 

Description

 

Soča 2013 is a development programme (followed by special Law on Upper Soča Valley) resolving the differences within the region and ensuring the integrated development of the Upper Soča Valley. Increasingly important is also the process of rapid opening of the transit areas of Posočje and the regions of Idrija and Cerkno towards Gorenjska, the Valley of Vipava, Ljubljana and Italy. The region is also interesting in revitalising the Soča (railway) corridor and in the improvement of the infrastructure and services.

This project is an operational outcome of the second development priority (innovation in economy) indicated in Regional Development Programme 2007-2013 with two objectives:

  • to increase to competitiveness of economy,
  • amelioration of HR.

The objectives are to be realised via three measures:

  • establishment of development infrastructure (business zone in Podljubinj, market place in Bovec, tourist route Krnica in Bovec municipality): very successful part of program (Delo, 16. 10. 2009, p. 13),
  • promotion of corporate investments , economic development and job creation (initial investments for micro and SMEs, restoration of new capacities for tourist accommodation – very strong interest) and creation of new jobs; the results regarding investments in economy have been evaluated as modest (Delo, 8. 11. 2010, p. 4),
  • training and human resources development: scholarships(80 per year; Delo, 23. 3. 2009, p. 4), stimulations for new employments (100 in 2009), self-employment, education and training (Delo, 20. 1. 2009, p. 9).

The Upper Soča Valley managed to absorb approx. more than 90 % of appointed financial means (Delo, 26. 5. 2009, p. 11).

Potential quantitative indicators at the end of financing period (Delo, 16. 10. 2009, p. 13):

  • new working places (proposed 430 before crisis; in late 2009 they expected there will be less working places available),
  • new tourist accommodation (400 beds),
  • to slow down brain-drain (high interest for grants)

Project, conceived as a special support to peripheral, endangered areas that have been severely damaged by natural catastrophes, has been quite successful in some fields (infrastructure development), and modest in the others (entrepreneurial investments, creation of new jobs, students are abandoning grant scheme).

 

Contact details

 

Mr. Roman Medved, roman.medved@prc.si
Posoški razvojni center (PRC), Ulica padlih borcev 1 b in 1 c, 5220 Tolmin