intelligence/machine learning, blockchain and cybersecurity), providing users with greater access to digital services. Using ERDF funds, we will support the digitalisation of public administration services and processes for businesses and citizens/society as a whole. We will follow the modern principle of co-creation with users, make full use of data and advanced digital technologies, and provide building blocks for the development of smart digital services. The actions will address smart cities, communities and villages (we will monitor local communities in Slovenia, and measure the participation of local communities/municipalities in the sharing or use of data within a common data infrastructure). We will address the issue of the digitalisation of the Slovenian language (including through the provision of modern digital resources and language technologies with the help of artificial intelligence), including adaptations for vulnerable groups and the established, publicly available Slovenian language corpuses necessary for algorithmic processing to the economy, the public sector and academia, digital innovation culture,92 in the accessibility of the integration of digital content into the education system or e- education, assistance in the transfer of innovation and developed technologies to the economy and public administration, and e-space (development of the ‘geospatial digital twin’, e-justice, etc.). We will take additional action to increase digital inclusion and digital competencies in society and the economy. We will use ERDF resources to improve digital connectivity and support the construction of open, high-capacity broadband infrastructure to businesses, households and public institutions in areas where such networks do not yet exist (capacity will enable speeds of at least 100 Mbps to the end-user, upgradable to 1 Gbps in the future) and there is no interest in building them on the part of operators/developers. For educational institutions, those investments will also be supported outside those areas in order to ensure long-term economic sustainability and adequate technical management of this infrastructure, which is necessary for ensuring a smooth education process. We will use ERDF resources to support the construction of high-capacity broadband infrastructure in the ESCR and the WSCR. According to the Innovation Index, the ESCR lags behind the WSCR, although the WSCR’s results have recently declined. We will therefore invest in research, development and innovation and in strengthening SMEs in both regions. Given the fact that educational institutions are situated in the WSCR as a matter of priority, resources for the strengthening of knowledge and skills will be allocated to the WSCR to a greater extent, although steps will be taken to ensure that the impact of the measures is shared equally between the two regions. In the area of digital connectivity, we will build on the real needs that have been identified in the Gigabit Infrastructure Development Plan 2030 and that are fully in line with the EU’s digital objectives. The plan is to ensure (i) gigabit connectivity for all major drivers of socio- economic development, such as schools and transport hubs, and the major providers of public services and digitally intensive businesses by 2025; (ii) uninterrupted 5G coverage for all urban areas and for all major terrestrial transport routes by 2025; (iii) internet connectivity of at least 100 Mbps to the user, which may be upgraded to gigabit speed for all households in rural and urban areas by 2025; (iv) gigabit connectivity for all households in rural and urban areas by 2028; (v) 5G coverage for all populated areas by 2028.