Maribor to become European capital of commercial and cultural life - How can EU's financial power be used in the right way?

Maribor is one of excellent examples of the cities that use the funds obtained from European Union for investments in realization of the greatest variety of projects and development of infrastructure. In the period January - April 2009, the city obtained about 9.6m EUR for 13 projects, and that is only a part of the approved funds for projected investments.

Namely, Maribor, which has over 110,000 citizens, will get a festival hall, puppet theater on the Drava, art gallery, modernized bus station with heliport, bookstores, pedestrian zones, additional garages, and number of residential and business buildings prior to year 2012 when it will become the European Capital of Culture.

Famous Nasko's Castle will also be refurbished, as well as well-known Jana Štuklja Square, while the old bathing resort on Maribor's island will be reorganized. Construction of the highest building in Slovenia, 170 meters high, is in the pipeline, as well as construction of two new bridges, while the municipality is going to get a new building. Construction of Medical Faculty, for which EU set aside 40m EUR, will commence before the end of year 2009. The plan is that a hotel be built next to the Faculty, while the entire complex will be situated on the river - Franc Kangler, the Mayor of Maribor, announced on the occasion of presentation of investments in this city, at the Slovenian Business Club, which was held in Novi Sad.

- We have obtained 6.4m EUR from EU for the Puppet Theater, which should be completed prior to year 2010, while the aid that we are going to receive for refurbishment of Nasko's Castle will amount to about 2m EUR. Our long-term plan is to move the events from the city to the Drava - said Kangler.

According to his words, the Church has also applied for EU's funds, and one of its projects is construction of a foster care center.

In addition to the preparations for prestigious role of the European Capital of Culture, Maribor is also getting ready for another important event - Winter Olympics 2013, of which host will be that city. For that purpose, Slovenian investors, backed by EU, have invested about 80m EUR in famous ski-center Pohorje over the last six years.

- They have invested in hotels, ski tracks, ski lifts. Maribor's tourism incomes in 2007 amounted to 40m EUR, and they were increased in 2008 to 50m EUR. Pohorje is one of our greatest potentials - said Kangler, pointing out that Maribor is the only city in Slovenia that offers free-of-charge wireless Internet access.

Kangler also pointed to exceptional geo-strategic position of Maribor, which is situated on the European corridors V and X.

- Maribor lies on the intersection of roads that lead from Russia to Italy or France, as well as from Germany, Czech Republic and Austria towards the Balkans. Such position makes it one of the most important centers of Western Europe - Kangler concluded.