Implementation of Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 in Slovenia and challenges for the future

Slovenia implements its rural development policy through Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (RDP). In this programming period is within four development axes implemented 21 measures in total amount of 1,177 millions €. The main objective of the paper is to analyse the implementation of rural development policy measures in Slovenia in period 2007-2010 and to give proposals which will increase the efficiency of implementation in the next programming period. An analysis of the implementation shows that there is great imbalance between the strategic goals and actual implementation of the programme. In the first four years of the implementation majority of the funds were allocated to the measures which pursuing economic and environmental components of sustainable development but at the level of implementation especially social and spatial issues are not adequately addressed.