The European Commission has given the green light to Slovenia’s fifth payment request worth €266.8 million under NextGenerationEU, marking another key step in the country’s
post-pandemic recovery.
The funds will be disbursed through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) after Brussels confirmed that Slovenia has successfully met the conditions attached to the request. In total, the Commission found that eight milestones and eight targets—as defined in the Council Implementing Decision—have been satisfactorily completed.
Reforms and investments on track
The latest payment reflects progress across several strategic areas, including pension reform, healthcare, sustainable transport, water management, and climate-related disaster preparedness.
Among the most prominent measures are reforms to the healthcare and pension systems. In healthcare, the changes aim to improve access and quality while strengthening financial sustainability through better governance of public health institutions. At the same time, pension reforms are designed to secure long-term viability of the system while maintaining fair and adequate pension levels.
Another flagship initiative is the creation of a civil protection training hub, a dedicated facility that will boost the readiness of emergency and disaster-response teams. The centre places particular emphasis on wildfire management, reflecting the growing impact of climate-driven risks across the region.
What happens next
The Commission has forwarded its preliminary assessment to the Economic and Financial Committee (EFC), which has up to four weeks to deliver its opinion. Once that step is completed, the Commission can formally adopt the payment decision, allowing the funds to be transferred to Slovenia.
Bigger picture
Slovenia submitted its fifth payment request on 19 December 2025. Its national recovery and resilience plan supports reforms and investments linked to social cohesion, climate action, and digital transformation. These include strengthening the resilience of the healthcare system, establishing a long-term care framework, improving access to affordable housing, decarbonising the economy, and modernising public administration.
Overall, Slovenia’s plan is backed by €2.14 billion in funding—€1.61 billion in grants and €526 million in loans. Once this payment is made, total disbursements under the RRF will reach €1.77 billion.
With the Facility set to close at the end of 2026, EU countries—including Slovenia—must complete all remaining milestones by August 2026 and submit their final payment requests by the end of September, in line with requirements agreed at European Union level. Photo by Jorge Franganillo, Wikimedia commons.