Representatives of Podravje and the new Minister discuss development priorities, EU funding and the post-2028 period

3. 7. 2026

Ministry of Local Self-Government, Cohesion and Regional Development

A working meeting between the mayors of municipalities of the Podravje region and Dr Monika Kirbiš Rojs, Minister of Local Self-Government, Cohesion and Regional Development, took place today in Maribor. The meeting was organised by the Regional Development Agency for Podravje - Maribor at the initiative of Danijel Vrbnjak, President of the Podravje Regional Council, and hosted by the Urban Municipality of Maribor.

The Urban Municipality of Maribor’s meeting room, with the mayors gathered around. — Author Marko Pigac

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On behalf of the host, Aleksander Saša Arsenovič, Mayor of the Urban Municipality of Maribor and President of the Vzhodna Slovenija cohesion region, welcomed the participants and delivered the opening remarks. In addition to the Minister, the meeting was also attended by Marko Drofenik, Deputy Director-General of the Regional Development Directorate; Dr Marko Soršak, President of the Podravje Regional Development Council; Nataša Ritonija, Director of the Regional Development Agency for Podravje - Maribor and the mayors of the municipalities of the Podravje region.

At the working meeting, the participants discussed key development issues in the Podravje region, particularly the implementation of the Agreement on the Development of the Region, the preparation of the Podravje Regional Development Programme, and the formulation of guidelines for the European Union’s future financial framework after 2028. Participants also emphasised the importance of establishing the region’s development priorities on time, as discussions on the future European budget and the rules for Cohesion Policy implementation are already underway at the EU level.

In her address, Minister Dr Monika Kirbiš Rojs underlined the importance of early coordination of development goals and the active involvement of regions in the preparation of future development policies. “Key decisions that will impact the development of Slovenian regions after 2028 are being made today. If we want to continue to be successful in EU funds absorption in the future, we must define our development priorities on time, prepare high-quality projects and present clear goals and coordinated regional positions to Brussels,” the Minister said.

The Minister also emphasised that Slovenia should prepare for the upcoming financial period and make the most of the development opportunities currently available: “As we prepare for the future, we must not forget the tasks that lie before us today. We must accelerate the implementation of projects, eliminate administrative bottlenecks, and ensure that EU funds reach local communities, where they generate tangible development impacts.”

Later in the meeting, Boris Keuc, Head of the Regional Development Sector at the Regional Development Agency for Podravje - Maribor, presented the state of play regarding the implementation of the Agreement on the Development of the Podravje Region and the activities related to the preparation of the Regional Development Programme. The discussion also focused on preparations for the EU’s post-2028 financial framework, the future of LEADER/CLLD mechanisms and the challenges of implementing EU-funded projects.

Participants agreed that close cooperation between the national government, municipalities, development institutions, businesses and other regional stakeholders will be essential to successful preparations for the next programming period. They also stressed the need to simplify administrative procedures and ensure stable and predictable conditions for implementing development projects.