Minister Jevšek: “The right of people to stay in the place they call home should be a matter of free choice, and leaving should never be a necessity driven by a lack of opportunities”

6. 5. 2026

Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development

The Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development Dr Aleksander Jevšek today attended the high-level event marking the official launch of the Right to Stay Strategy at the invitation of Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms Raffael Fitto. The event took place in the European Parliament and brought together high-level representatives of EU member states and regions who affirmed their shared commitment to strengthening cohesion and resilience of EU regions.

Zasedanje v Bruslju. Udeleženci sedijo v dvorani Evropskega parlamenta. — Author Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development

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Ensuring the right of all citizens to stay in the place they call home is one of the political priorities of the European Commission in the period 2024-2029. The Right to Stay Strategy tackles the challenges of regions facing population decline and outmigration caused by a lack of employment opportunities, inadequate digital infrastructure and poor access to education and healthcare.

Minister Jevšek underlined the importance of Cohesion Policy in this context: “Today in Brussels, we have clearly charted a course: regions must be at the heart of our efforts. People living in less developed areas often feel left behind, leaving them with no choice but to move away to lead independent lives. It is our shared responsibility to ensure, through investment, living conditions where leaving remains a free choice rather than a necessity driven by a lack of essential services. The right to stay in the place one calls home is a fundamental factor for the sustainable prosperity of the entire EU”.

The Strategy will focus on regions and territories, identifying those facing most pressing demographic challenges, while outlining concrete measures promoting growth, including tackling housing and transport issues. The document will support member states' preparation of national partnership plans.

A call for evidence has also been launched. The call invites stakeholders to submit feedback and make an active contribution to the Strategy, helping it further develop and finetune. Minister Jevšek added that the right to stay is already part of the Commission proposal for the multiannual financial framework 2028-2034, featuring as a specific development objective.

Srečko Đurov, State Secretary responsible for regional development from the Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development, also attended the event.