Katja Koren presented her candidacy: First I have to look at what is happening in the municipality

Katja Koren, a former Olympic bronze medalist in alpine skiing and current government secretary for sport and tourism, has officially entered the race for mayor of Maribor. She is the only female candidate among the known contenders and has the backing of all five parties in the ruling coalition, SDS, Democrats, Nova Slovenija, Fokus, and the Slovenian People's Party. Her campaign announcement took place at Trikotna jasa on Pohorje, a location with deep personal significance as it marks where her athletic career began. Koren emphasized that she views Maribor as a whole, including its neighborhoods and surrounding communities. "Today, I stand before my second competition, if the first was ski racing, this one is mayoral," she said during her campaign launch. She stressed the importance of treating the city as a unified entity and working collaboratively with neighboring municipalities. Koren’s sporting achievements include winning the World Cup in super-G at just 18 years old and securing a bronze medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. After retiring from competitive sports due to back injuries, she transitioned into business and public administration, holding leadership roles at the Post of Slovenia and serving as vice-president of the Slovenian Olympic Committee. Currently, she works as a government secretary under Minister Anže Logar. Her political entry comes with strong support from the ruling coalition, which she believes will facilitate cooperation with the central government and secure additional resources for Maribor's development projects. "The support from these parties will help us work together with the state and bring added value to Maribor," she stated. Koren outlined several key challenges facing the city, including economic growth and job creation. While acknowledging that local government cannot independently drive economic expansion, she emphasized the need to connect people, institutions, and businesses while removing barriers to investment. She highlighted areas such as Pohorje, the Drava River, culture, and sports as opportunities for integrated economic and tourist development. Transportation infrastructure emerged as another major concern. "We need thoughtful solutions to improve accessibility, traffic flow, public transport, and connections between districts," she noted. She emphasized that decisions should be based on professional analysis, residents' needs, and financial feasibility. Regarding green spaces, she pointed out that while Maribor has sufficient areas, their distribution needs to be more balanced to ensure they are accessible to all residents. Koren did not provide specific policy proposals yet, stating that she wants to first assess the current situation in the municipality and listen to the concerns of residents. She plans to visit different parts of the city during her campaign to better understand the issues faced by each community. She also addressed the issue of whether the Zlati Lisica (Golden Fox) ski race could return to Pohorje. However, she did not commit to reviving the traditional event, indicating that the decision would depend on future circumstances. Koren reiterated that she does not see herself as a politician and has no intention of becoming one. Instead, she sees her role as leveraging her experience in sport and governance to serve the people of Maribor. "I am not a politician and never will be," she said, emphasizing that her values of perseverance, responsibility, teamwork, and fairness were shaped through her athletic career. Other candidates in the mayoral race include Igor Jurišič (Young Liberals - Greens of Europe), Matej Vodopivec (LPR with support from Pirate Party and Preroda), Andrej Matvoz (Freedom), Matevž Frangež (SD, Left and Bicycle and Pedestrian List), Vincenc Gajser (Slovenian People's Party) and Aleš Ernecl (Guardians Party). Former mayor Saša Arsenovič is not running again, but his council member Andrej Bauman and radio journalist Bor Greiner have also entered the race with citizen signatures. Koren's campaign promises to focus on listening to the citizens, assessing the city's needs, and developing practical solutions. With the backing of the ruling coalition, she aims to create a collaborative environment that fosters both local and national partnerships for Maribor's continued development.