The Slovak government approved a plan on May 27 to spend 14.3 billion Sk for highway construction in 1997. In the first half of the year, loans from Všeobecná Úverová Banka (VÚB) of 1 billion Sk, Slovenská Sporiteľňa (SLSP) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) also of 1 billion Sk, and the Industrial Bank of Japan of 5 billion Sk and 1.8 billion Sk from a fuel excise tax will be used to fund the highway program. These funds replaced government's original plan to raise the money via 5 billion Sk worth of bonds. In the second half of 1997, financing will be secured through long-term foreign loans, with delayed repayment, backed by the government and arranged by the NBS.