Dars reports that the purpose of the increased price is threefold: stabilization of the company operation (the debts amount to almost 2,8 billion Euros guaranteed by the budget), establishment of just road pricing as to use, and reduction of road transport emissions. The new prices of the motorway stickers should, according to Dars' prediction, result in additional 60 million Euros per year.

"By changing the pricing policy the users of motorways, including foreigners, will continue to pay for the actual use. In this way the payment by all the citizens will be avoided, as it might come to that if Dars becomes unable to pay off the raised loans, and hypothetically the burden of settlement would have to be taken on the shoulders of all the Slovenian taxpayers as a result of realization of state guarantee," they try to console the users.

They also stress that, when compared to similar European operators, their revenue from road toll was twice smaller in spite of above-average number of daily transit of (mostly foreign) trucks. They added that they are extremely cost-efficient, as, if compared to similar companies from the neighbouring countries, their service costs, material costs, and cost of work per kilometre of motorway are three times lower.

The government introduced a new motorway sticker
At the regular weekly session the government passed the new policy of road pricing, which primarily means the increase of the price of the annual motorway sticker for cars will go up from EUR 95 to EUR 110. The prices of the monthly and the weekly stickers will remain unchanged, TV Slovenia reports.

The motorway stickers for motorcycles will be more expensive as well; the price of the annual sticker will be 55 Euros (presently it costs 47.50 Euros), the semi-annual 30 Euros (presently 25 Euros), while the price of the weekly sticker will remain unchanged.

New category of motorway stickers will be introduced – vignettes for vans (another reason for threats of protests by road transport operators). The annual sticker will cost 220 Euros, the monthly 80 Euros, the weekly 40 Euros.

The road tolls for road transport operators will be increased by kilometre. Within the road tolls system the ecologically disputable vehicles will be more heavily charged, while the ecologically better acceptable vehicles (equipped with euro 5 and euro 6 engines) will be awarded considerable discounts. A subvention in the amount of four million Euros will be provided for that purpose from the climate fund, relating to this year and previous years.

The new regulation will becomes valid in January 2014. The price increase was discussed by the government before summer, but it was postponed to the time after holidays due to need for additional analyses.

The opposition is not pleased. Matej Tonin (NSi) claims those who do most damage to motorways should pay the most. SDP member of parliament Zvonko Černač had critical remarks as well, saying that the government decision would hurt Slovenian citizens the most.