STA, 18 February 2019 - The Ljubljana city council has unanimously endorsed a decision that allows furniture giant Ikea to start building its store in Ljubljana's shopping district BTC. The first Ikea shop in Slovenia could open next year.

The councillors endorsed at Monday's session the decision allowing Ikea to apply for an operating permit even though the required access road south of the planned shop has not been built yet.

The land needed to build the access road leading from Kajuhova Street was supposed to be acquired by the local authorities, but the acquisition has been marred by ownership complications.

The land is owned by company Protect GL, which is in receivership, and the municipality has failed to come to an agreement on the price with the official receiver.

In the summer of 2016, the municipality launched expropriation proceedings, which were suspended last autumn on the municipality's own initiative, as it wanted the proceedings to be carried out under the new legislation.

Ikea will now be able to soon launch the construction of the shop, which could open its doors in 2020. The 30,000 sq-metre shop has been estimated at EUR 80m and is expected to bring around 300 jobs.