Weekly Focus

The Association of Municipalities and Towns of Slovenia (SOS) has launched an online tool called 3D Public Unveiling allowing municipalities to present their on-going spatial planning* projects in a three dimensional.format via a dedicated portal so as to improve communication with citizens.

Launched in 2010, this tool allows for a more modern and transparent presentation of local spatial planning projects so that citizens may better picture the foreseen end result and the activities undertaken in public areas. The three-dimensional presentation also permits inhabitants to provide comments and feedback, creating a strong foundation for good cooperation in the design of these spaces.

3D Public Unveiling, which is free of charge for both local authorities and citizens, provides extensive data and graphics on existing land use, local and national borders, land plots, city names and house numbers, as well as noise and flood risk maps.

* Spatial planning includes land use planning, urban and regional planning, transport planning and environmental planning. Other related areas are economic and community planning.

Slovenian local authorities and CEMR
The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has one member association in Slovenia: the Association of Municipalities and Towns of Slovenia (SOS).

Established in 1992, SOS represents 170 of Slovenia's 211 municipalities. The association is divided into three sections in order to cater to the different needs of its member municipalities: cities, administrative units (territorial sub-units of government administration) and other municipalities.

The association's presidency is shared among the presidents of the three sections, each presiding over SOS for one third of the four year mandate. Currently, it is chaired by Leopold Kremžar, mayor of Miklavž na Dravskem polju.

SOS and its member municipalities coordinate their work within specialised commissions in order to influence legislation of interest to local authorities.

Local government in Slovenia

Slovenia is a unitary state composed of 211 municipalities (obèin).