Construction of a motorway through Slovenia that would mean better transport connectivity for Rijeka with Slovenia and Italy, will begin only after 2030 and zoning plans are yet to be adopted amid a lot of controversy over the motorway's future route.

Construction of the motorway from Postojna to Ilirska Bistrica that is to the Jelsane/Rupa border crossing between Slovenia and Croatia, will being after 2030, and the government already ordered the preparation of the country’s zoning plans, Slovenia’s media reported on Monday.

The deadline for the plans to be adopted is the end of 2027 and construction can be expected after 2030, the country’s motorway management company DARS has said as carried by the Sio.net portal which is close to the Slovenian government.

The motorway would extend for 38 kilometres which would connect Slovenia’s southwest with the Ljubljana-Koper motorway and could finally connect Rijeka with Slovenia providing the best route towards Trieste and Italy.

The Janez Jansa government recently defined its recommendation for the state zoning plan for that area with the planned route for the motorway to pass through Postojna, Pivka and Ilirska Bistrica, however, changes can still be expected due to demands to satisfy local government interests and also depending on the pace of purchasing privately owned land, all of which could result in numerous objections to the proposed route, Slovenia’s media have reported.

There should not be any problems in financing the motorway’s construction and co-financing from European funds is expected considering the motorway has been categorised as important to connectivity with the European Adriatic-Ionian area.