Ministry of Local Self-Government, Cohesion and Regional Development moves its headquarters to Maribor

The move marks an important step towards the decentralisation of state administration, advancing balanced regional development and polycentric development. As the authority responsible for local self-government, cohesion policy and regional development, the ministry is leading by example in implementing the principles it promotes in development policy design. Minister Dr Monika Kirbiš Rojs said on this occasion: “This is more than a relocation of a public institution. It 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. As the ministry responsible for regional development, we have a particular responsibility to lead by example. I am glad that we have taken this important step, demonstrating that regionalisation is not only a development objective, but a practice that can be put into effect.”

The ministry’s new headquarters will be based in the City business centre in Maribor, where it already has office premises. The relocation has been conceived as a gradual and carefully planned process of organisational restructuring aimed at building up the ministry's headquarters in Maribor over the longer term. In the initial phase, some 70 employees of the ministry, mostly those who live closer to Maribor than to Ljubljana, will be reassigned to the new location. Where possible, future hiring will be prioritised for Maribor.

The ministry emphasises that the relocation 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 remaining present in different regions. “Maribor, as the second largest city in the country, has all the necessary capacities to assume a stronger administrative role. At the same time, I represent the interests of all Slovenian regions, and no region should be left behind. That is why we will keep our offices in Ljubljana and Štanjel, making sure that balanced regional development continues to be promoted across Slovenia,” underlined Minister Kirbiš Rojs.

By relocating its headquarters from Ljubljana to Maribor, the ministry has done more than change its address. The move marks an important step in strengthening the role of national institutions in supporting balanced regional and polycentric development. Officially completed yesterday, the relocation demonstrates how the principles of decentralisation and balanced regional development can be translated into concrete action. It sends a clear signal that public institutions can contribute to territorial cohesion not only through policy design, but also through their own organisational decisions and practices.