2TDK approved the request for the March drive of Bratuškova and Gobola: 55 thousand for stopping works and 652 thousand for acceleration

The new management of Slovenia’s state railway infrastructure company, 2TDK, has identified a claim for additional costs totaling approximately 714,224 euros including VAT as its primary initial review item. This financial demand stems from a demonstrative train ride conducted on March 11, 2026, involving then-Prime Minister Robert Golob and Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek along the unfinished second track between Divaca and Koper. The claim was submitted by the contractor consortium, SŽ-Železniško gradbeno podjetje Ljubljana, and officially confirmed by 2TDK. The total amount comprises two distinct parts: 55,853.42 euros excluding VAT for temporary work stoppages and 652,259.36 euros excluding VAT for accelerated completion works. These figures sum to just under 708,000 euros before tax. The political controversy surrounding this expense intensified recently with statements from former Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek. In response to media reports regarding the appointment of Aleksander Srdic as the new prosecutor at 2TDK, Bratušek posted on social media platform X that she had not proposed Srdic for the role and would never have done so herself. She further stated that individuals who actively worked against the second track had no business seeking positions there. Minutes after publishing this message, Bratušek deleted the latter portion of her statement, leaving only the denial of her involvement in Srdic’s nomination. When questioned by reporters about the deletion and the basis for labeling Srdic as an opponent of the project, Bratušek did not provide immediate clarification. Reporters also asked whether the ministry she led had formally proposed his appointment or dismissal, given that the government acts as the assembly for such decisions based on ministerial proposals. Background on the disputed costs reveals that the second track was not ready for regular traffic during the March demonstration. According to unofficial information obtained by investigative portal Zanima.me, contractors were required to halt all operations and remove personnel from the site for 59 hours, spanning from Monday, March 9, to Wednesday evening, March 11, 2026. This suspension was necessary for measurements of dynamic parameters. The key unresolved question is whether these tests and the subsequent work stoppage were strictly required by the engineering schedule or if they were adjusted to accommodate the politically timed event shortly before parliamentary elections. Unofficial reports suggest that instructions for preparing the event originated partly from the cabinet of the then-minister. The contractor began asserting these additional costs in May 2026, following the general elections but while Bratušek still held the infrastructure portfolio. A formal valuation was submitted on June 24, 2026. The supervising engineer, DRI, received the claim on May 5, 2026, and was copied on the supplementary documents. 2TDK stated that submitting such claims is standard practice in construction projects. However, the company emphasized that the mere submission does not guarantee payment. The claim is currently undergoing multi-level technical assessment. As of the latest reports, 2TDK has not yet received a proposal decision from DRI regarding the validity of the claim. Consequently, it remains undetermined how much of the requested sum will actually be approved. Current leadership at 2TDK, headed since mid-October by Marko Pogačnik, indicated that this specific claim would be among the first matters scrutinized in detail. Questions remain unanswered regarding which cost items relate specifically to the political event versus routine testing. There is no public breakdown explaining whether the 59-hour interruption would have occurred without the demonstration. Additionally, it is unclear who formally decided on the measurement timeline within 2TDK or if documented records exist for those decisions. Prime Minister Janez Janša previously described the incident as involving the two most expensive tickets in human history, highlighting the political sensitivity of the issue. The final determination of liability and payment awaits the technical review process currently underway.