Official opening: Relocation of Ministry's headquarters to Maribor marks the first step towards Slovenia’s decentralisation
SLOVENIA, September 28 - The Ministry of Local Self-Government, Cohesion and Regional Development is the first ministry in Slovenia headquartered outside Ljubljana. Minister Kirbiš Rojs said on this occasion: “The relocation of the Ministry’s headquarters from the capital city of Ljubljana to Maribor sends a clear message that decentralisation must be translated into concrete action. If we are to achieve balanced and polycentric development across the country, state institutions need to follow this logic.”
The Minister stressed that the move does not imply a withdrawal from other parts of Slovenia. The Ministry will continue to operate from its existing premises in Maribor, Ljubljana and Štanjel, ensuring the continued accessibility of its services and maintaining a strong presence in different regions. “The Government underlines the role of decentralisation and recognises the importance of ensuring that public services and public institutions remain accessible throughout the country. For this reason, we will keep our offices in Ljubljana and Štanjel, while continuing to strengthen our teams in these locations. In doing so, we will help promote balanced regional development and ensure that our services remain close to the people and communities they serve,” the Minister said.
“Our focus should be on the whole country because sustainable national development depends on the balanced development of all regions. By strengthening the presence of public institutions beyond the capital, we are helping create opportunities for growth across the country. Today's opening of the new premises in Maribor is an important step in that direction,” she added.
Through this relocation, the Slovenian Government is taking concrete steps towards decentralisation of public administration and a more balanced distribution of public-sector functions across the country. This commitment is already delivering tangible results. The Ministry has 262 employees, 72 of whom are based in Maribor. This enables people from this part of the country to pursue careers in public administration closer to home, without the need to commute long distances or relocate to Ljubljana.
Around 140,000 people commute to Ljubljana for work each day, which highlights the importance of strengthening employment opportunities and institutional presence across all regions to support balanced territorial development and improve access to jobs closer to where people live.
The Prime Minister noted that decentralisation can help alleviate traffic pressures associated with the concentration of jobs and services in the capital city of Ljubljana. It can also contribute to a more balanced distribution of economic activity and housing demand, addressing rising housing prices in Ljubljana and supporting quality of life and sustainable development across the country.
He described the relocation of the Ministry’s headquarters as the first step towards decentralisation. “Further relocations are planned. Certain departments of the Ministry of the Economy are expected to move to Maribor, and we are also considering the relocation of headquarters of certain other ministries to other parts of Slovenia, like Murska Sobota, Ptuj, Novo mesto, Koper. I am confident that the picture will look very different in a year’s time,” he said.
The relocation of the Ministry's headquarters therefore represents the first concrete measure under the Government’s decentralisation agenda and opens a broader discussion on the future political, administrative and territorial organisation of the country.
The Prime Minister expressed hope there would be enough political will for the establishment of provinces in Slovenia which have been envisaged in the Constitution for decades. The provinces are often cited as a means of making the use of EU funds more effective, enhancing regional development, improving coordination of development policies and bringing decision-making closer to citizens.
The cultural programme featured performances by singer Maja Keuc together with a children’s choir from the Kungota Primary School and saxophonist Ian Varga from the Maribor Conservatory of Music and Ballet.
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