By: Vida Kocjan
The parliamentary group of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) has submitted an amendment to the law on emergency measures for eliminating the consequences of the August 2023 floods and landslides. The amendment appropriately regulates the requirements for proof needed to obtain advance payments for reconstruction. However, the ruling coalition (Gibanje Svoboda, SD, and Levica) has rejected the proposal.
Advance payments for housing reconstruction following the devastating storm a year and a half ago have been distributed in seven instalments. The first payment was made on December 6th, 2023, and the last at the end of 2024. The total amount of advance payments disbursed so far is €34.6 million, benefiting 7,559 owners of damaged residential buildings.
Now, recipients are Being asked for proof
Most flood-affected individuals eligible for reconstruction advance payments have already received their funds. However, since August, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning has been sending requests to property owners who received advance payments, asking them to provide proof of expenses for reconstruction.
At a press conference presenting the SDS proposal – which aimed to exempt advance payments of up to €20,000 from requiring proof – MP Jožef Jelen highlighted practical issues. Many affected residents do not have receipts, and this is due to various reasons. “Some made temporary repairs, thinking they would relocate. Others were initially listed for relocation but were later removed from the list. Many renovated their homes themselves or with neighbourly assistance and lack proper invoices. Some even received donated construction materials and other aid. At the time, people were solely focused on restoring liveable conditions as quickly as possible,” Jelen explained.
The government was asleep for a year
Jelen also emphasised that when recipients received advance payments, they were not informed that they would later need to provide receipts or specific guidelines on how the funds could be used. “As a result, most of the construction work was done with external help and basic tools. People used the funds to replace destroyed household equipment, unaware that advance payments were not intended for such expenses. This was not communicated in the approval notice. Many acted quickly after the floods, taking advantage of the good autumn weather, and did not wait for advance payments. When they finally received the funds, they were unaware of the rules. Now, eight months later, they are being asked for proof,” Jelen criticised.
He then introduced the SDS parliamentary group’s proposal to address the issue. SDS suggested that reconstruction advance payments of up to €20,000 should be considered as personal and emergency work aimed at mitigating the consequences of natural disasters, eliminating the need for documentation. Instead of invoices, recipients could submit a declaration listing the urgent work done and materials used. However, if a recipient failed to submit this declaration or if inspections revealed that the advance payment was misused, they would be required to return the funds. Jelen urged the coalition to apply “common sense” and consider the hardships of flood victims. However, the ruling coalition dismissed the proposal outright. Full of themselves, they rejected it.
No common sense in the coalition
Most flood-affected individuals eligible for reconstruction advance payments have already received their funds – an average of approximately €4,580 – according to the government’s flood and landslide reconstruction website. However, since August, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning, led by Bojan Kumer (from the Gibanje Svoboda party), has been sending notices to recipients, requiring them to provide proof of expenditure. These documents are said to serve as a basis for determining the final reconstruction amounts. According to the ministry, four separate requests for proof have already been sent – one in August, another in September, a third in October, and the fourth at the end of October. The ministry states that this process will continue, and recipients have 120 days (four months) to submit invoices, contracts, or estimates detailing the costs of the reconstruction – even if the work is not yet completed. Based on these documents, the ministry will supposedly calculate the final reconstruction aid amount, potentially issuing additional payments for any outstanding sums.
However, there is more. According to Kumer’s ministry, acceptable proof includes invoices for services and materials used in the reconstruction. Estimates can also be submitted if the work is unfinished. But here is the issue – the floods occurred in early August 2023, it is now late January 2025, meaning nearly 18 months have passed. In that time, the average advance payment per recipient has been just €4,580.
The ministry also considers insurance payout confirmations as valid proof. This raises concerns that the government might be particularly interested in these documents. Furthermore, if homeowners submit only estimates, they will later be required to provide final invoices proving all expenses were paid. A bureaucratic nightmare! The ministry even threatens that if recipients fail to submit the requested proof, they will be considered ineligible for the advance payment and forced to return the funds.
What kind of bureaucracy is this?
The advance payments – averaging less than €4,600 – can only be used for restoring living spaces. Expenses for yard work, built-in elements, furniture, appliances, tools, and similar items are not covered. Eligible costs include electrical and plumbing installations, façades, tiles, building fixtures, built-in air conditioners, heat pumps, central heating systems, and so on. Additionally, after more than a year and a half, recipients can expect to receive only 40–60% of the amount they prove they are entitled to, and only if they have a registered permanent residence in the affected property. The ministry has also stated that it will begin an administrative process to assess the eligibility and scope of funding for each residential property individually – meaning the bureaucratic workload will continue for at least another decade.
MP Jožef Jelen, who is well-acquainted with the situation on the ground, warns that many affected homeowners do not have receipts. Some carried out only basic repairs, believing they would be relocated, but now they are no longer on the relocation list. Others were initially marked for demolition, but later their homes were removed from that list. Because they needed a place to live, they went ahead and repaired their homes – often by themselves or with help from neighbours – without obtaining receipts.
Additionally, many residents face difficulties obtaining documentation because they did much of the work themselves or received donated materials. Jelen notes that self-performed construction work typically involves the highest costs, yet there are no receipts to prove it. More importantly, when people received the advance payments, they were not informed of any proof requirements or spending restrictions. Jelen emphasises that there were no clear instructions on what proof would be required at the time of payment, leaving many in a difficult situation now.