http://HNonline.sk

As of the end of May, the Slovak Republic drew EUR 858.05 million from EU structural funds allocated for the 2004-2006 programming period. This accounts for 73.39 percent of the total amount allocated, representing EUR 1.169 billion. The Finance Ministry reported that at the end of March, total drawing of finances from structural funds grew 1.92 percentage points from the beginning of 2008. Drawing from structural funds committed in the 2007-2013 programming period is done only in the operational programs of Health (EUR 244,200, namely 1.35 percent), Informatization of Society (EUR 290,300, namely 0.4 percent). Overall drawing for 2007 represents only 0.1 percent for the time being.
According to the Finance Ministry, the Single Programming Document NUTS II Bratislava Objective 3 and Community Initiative Interreg IIIA Austria – the Slovak Republic remain the most risky in terms of drawing funds allocated for 2004 to 2006. Drawing within the single paper and cross-border Austrian-Slovak cooperation reached 64.38 percent. These sources can be drawn only until the end of the year. This evidently slower drawing was also reported with programming documents co-financed from the European Social Fund, within the Human Resources operational program and the EQUAL initiative.
At the end of May, EUR 264 million from total allocation for the ISPA/CF project was transferred to accounts of the payment authority. This represents 73.02 percent of all eligible costs that can be financed from the resources of the European Communities (EUR 361.5 million). A total of EUR 292.1 million was paid to contractors, including payment of the final twenty percent from the state budget, which means actual drawing of 80.79 percent of total eligible costs financed from the sources of the European Communities.
As much as EUR 172.6 million went to projects co-financed from the Cohesion Fund, representing 42.61 percent of the total sum of eligible expenditures of EUR 405 million. A total of EUR 106.3 million was received for transport programs, meaning 51.37 percent of total eligible costs and EUR 66.3 million for environmental projects, or 33.47 percent of all eligible costs. Paying units received EUR 198.8 million, meaning actual drawing of 49.09 percent of total eligible costs funded from the sources of the European Communities. Transport programs acquired EUR 157.8 million and EUR 40.9 million was spent on environmental projects.

(EUR 1 = SKK 30.335 on June 10)