Authorities of the Koroška region

In accordance with the Act on the Promotion of Regional Development (ZSRR-2), the Regional Development Council is the body responsible for coordinating development initiatives and development interests in the region. The tasks of the Development Council are to:

• leads and directs the preparation of the regional development program and adopts it,
• cooperates with regions of other countries in the field of regional development,
• concludes agreements for the development of the region,
• participates in territorial development dialogue,
• monitors the implementation of the regional development program and agreements for the development of the region, and
• performs other tasks in accordance with the USSR-2.

The members of the council are representatives of municipalities, representatives of chambers of commerce, trades and other chambers and associations in the field of economy in the region (hereinafter referred to as: representatives of the economy) and representatives of non-governmental organisations in the region. Candidates for representatives of municipalities are proposed by the municipal council from among the elected municipal officials. Candidates for representatives of the economy and non-governmental organisations are proposed by their bodies or bodies of chambers and non-governmental organisations based in the region.

The mandate of the regional development council is the same as the programming period.

The Koroške Regional Development Council for the 2021-2027 programming period was established and constituted in 2021. The Koroške Regional Development Council has 30 members. In addition to representatives of the twelve municipalities, it also consists of twelve representatives of the economy and six representatives of non-governmental organizations in the region.

The position of chair of the Development Council of the Koroške region rotates annually among the mayors, in alphabetical order of the municipalities. In the 2024/2025 term, the council is chaired by Angelca Mrak, Mayor of the Municipality of Muta.

RRA Koroška provides technical, professional and administrative support for the operation of the Development Council Koroške of the region, including managing the archive.

Current composition of the Development Council of the Koroške region:

• Romana Lesjak, M.A., Municipality Črna na Koroškem
• Anton Preksavec, Municipality Dravograd
• Mark Maze, Municipality of Mežica
• Bojan Borovnik, Municipality Mislinja
• Angelca Mrak, Municipality Muta (chairwoman 2024/2025)
• Miran Pušnik, Municipality Podvelka (chairman 2025/2026)
• Dr. Matija Tasič, Municipality Prevalje
• Alan Bukovnik, MSc, Municipality Radlje ob Dravi
• Dr. Tomaž Rožen, Municipality Ravne na Koroškem
• Srečko Geč, Municipality Ribnica na Pohorju
• Tilen Klugler, Municipality of Slovenj Gradec
• Franjo Golob, Municipality Vuzenica
• Blaž Cvar, OOZ Radlje ob Dravi
• Boštjan Paradiz, VABO doo
• Bogdan Kadis, MONTER doo
• Janez Bijol, BIJOL doo
• Roman Krivograd, OOZ Ravne na Koroškem
• Katja Pokeržnik, Chamber of Commerce and Industry OZ Koroška
• Ivan Meh, OOZ Slovenj Gradec
• Sandi Markon, PRODUKT doo
• Franc Kadiš, AVTO-KOČEVJE doo, Šentjanž at Dravogradu
• Matej Skrivarnik, KGZ OE Slovenj Gradec
• Robert Vinšek, OOZ Dravograd
• Jure Lesjak, Society for the Spread of Culture on the World Wide Web, Ravne na Koroškem
• Dejan Požgan, KK Dravograd
• Jure Strah, Institute of Endocrinology
• Danilo Podrzavnik, ŠRD Remšnik, Radlje ob Dravi
• Branko Bulović, Board of Directors of the Slovenj Gradec Club
• Borut Marošek, JUDO Club Slovenj Gradec

To prepare proposals for decisions in the process of preparing and implementing the regional development program in priority areas of development in the region, the council appoints committees consisting of representatives of the regional development network, external experts, representatives of municipalities, branches of state authorities and other institutions operating in the region and important for its development. The council committees are led by RRA Koroška.

The Koroška Regional Council (hereinafter referred to as the SKR) is composed of the mayors of all twelve municipalities of the Koroška Development Region. According to the SKR's rules of procedure, its "main task is to coordinate the interests of the region in the field of promoting and developing regional policies: economy - especially entrepreneurship, agriculture, small business and tourism; spatial planning and environmental protection; education at all levels in the region; health, sports, social care and other activities in the field of life and work, common to all municipalities in the region. In addition, the SKR also performs other tasks of a common nature within the competence of local self-government and directs and designs joint regional projects."

The Council of the Koroška Region is headed by a president, who convenes and chairs meetings, directs the work of the council and represents it externally. The position of chairman of the SKR rotates among the mayors annually, in alphabetical order of municipalities. In the 2025/2026 term, the council is chaired by Miran Pušnik, mayor of the Municipality of Podvelka.

RRA Koroška provides technical, professional and administrative support for the operation of the SKR, including archive management.

Current composition of the Koroška Regional Council:

• Romana Lesjak, MSc, Municipality of Črna Koroškem
• Anton Preksavec, Municipality Dravograd
• Mark Maze, Municipality of Mežica
• Bojan Borovnik, Municipality Mislinja
• Angelca Mrak, Municipality Muta
• Miran Pušnik, Municipality Podvelka (chairman 2025/2026)
• Dr. Matija Tasič, Municipality Prevalje
• Alan Bukovnik, MSc, Municipality Radlje ob Dravi
• Dr. Tomaž Rožen, Municipality Ravne na Koroškem
• Srečko Geč, Municipality Ribnica na Pohorju
• Tilen Klugler, MO Slovenj Gradec
• Franjo Golob, Municipality Vuzenica

Chronology of the activities of the Koroška Regional Council

The beginnings of the Koroška Region Council date back to 1997, when the mayors of the municipalities of Črna na Koroškem, Dravograd, Mežica, Mislinja, Muta, MO Slovenj Gradec, Podvelka, Prevalje, Radlje ob Dravi, Ravne na Koroškem, Ribnica na Pohorju and Vuzenica, with the aim of the municipalities in the Drava, Mežica and Mislinja valleys deepening and expanding their mutual cooperation and thus enabling easier resolution of common development problems, signed a letter of intent in which they defined the Koroška region as an agreed and natural entity for the unification of interests and the realization of common goals.

Joint action over these years has confirmed that Koroška justifies its independent identity in the development of regionalism and that it is capable of assuming responsibility for the independent implementation of tasks of regional importance as a "province".

Since its establishment, the Koroška Regional Council has been led by: Franc Stakne (Municipality Črna na Koroškem), Rado Krpač (Municipality Dravograd), Janez Praper (Municipality Mežica), Mirko Grešovnik (Municipality Mislinja), Ivan Draušbaher (Municipality Muta), Anton Kovše* (Municipality Podvelka), Dr. Matic Tasič* (Municipality Prevalje), mag. Alan Bukovnik* (Municipality Radlje ob Dravi), Maksimiljan Večko (Municipality Ravne na Koroškem), Marija Sgerm (Municipality Ribnica na Pohorju), Matjaž Zanoškar (Municipality of Slovenj Gradec), Miran Kus (Municipality Vuzenica), Janez Švab (Municipality Črna na Koroškem), Marijana Cigala (Municipality Dravograd), Dušan Krebel (Municipality Mežica), Franc Šilak (Municipality Mislinja), Boris Kralj (Municipality Muta), Dr. Tomaž Rožen (Municipality Ravne na Koroškem), Tilen Klugler (MO Slovenj Gradec), Franjo Golob (Municipality Vuzenica), mag. Romana Lesjak (Municipality of Črna Koroškem), Anton Preksavec (Municipality of Dravograd), Mark Maze (Municipality of Mežica), Bojan Borovnik (Municipality of Mislinja) and Angelca Mrak (Municipality of Muta).

*Leading the Koroška Regional Council for two terms.

The Regional Development Network is a form of contractual integration of key development institutions for the implementation of the region's development priorities and builds on already established forms of cooperation between development actors in the region. The Regional Development Network of the Koroška Region was originally formed in 2013. In the current programming period 2021-2027, the network consists of 31 key development institutions operating in the Koroška Region. In addition to the RRA Koroška, which coordinates its operations, the network members are:

• GZS, Koroška Chamber of Commerce,
• Regional Chamber of Crafts and Entrepreneurship Dravograd,
• Regional Chamber of Crafts and Entrepreneurship Radlje ob Dravi,
• Regional Chamber of Crafts and Entrepreneurship Ravne na Koroškem,
• Regional Chamber of Crafts and Entrepreneurship Slovenj Gradec,
• RACE KOGO development center of the Koroška economy,
• ALP Peca,
• Slovenj Gradec Business Center,
• SCEPTER service, trade and production company,
• Employment Service of the Republic of Slovenia, Regional Unit Velenje,
• KGZS, Agricultural and Forestry Institute Celje,
• KGZS, Agricultural and Forestry Institute Ptuj,
• Slovenian Forest Service, Regional Unit Slovenj Gradec,
• Koroška Agricultural and Forestry Cooperative,
• National Institute of Public Health, OU Ravne na Koroškem,
• JZ Dravit, Institute for Sports, Tourism, Culture and Youth Activities, Dravograd,
• JZ ŠKTM for sports, culture, tourism and youth Radlje ob Dravi,
• Institute for Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth Activities Ravne na Koroškem,
• Regional Office for Tourism, Sports, Youth and Social Programs SPOTUR, Slovenj Gradec,
• Koroška Regional NGO Hub – KOROCIV,
• Local partnership of the Mežiška dolina LAG,
• LAS MDD pp,
• MOCIS, adult education center, Slovenj Gradec,
• School Center Slovenj Gradec,
• Ravne na Koroškem School Center,
• Faculty of Polymer Technology Slovenj Gradec,
• Ravne na Koroškem College of Professional Studies,
• Faculty of Health and Social Sciences Slovenj Gradec,
• Institute of Education of the Republic of Slovenia, OE Slovenj Gradec and
• Koroška Students' Club.

A dialogue and partnership has been established between RRA Koroška and the network members in key development activities at the regional level. This includes cooperation in the formulation of project ideas, preparation of applications for calls for tenders, partnership cooperation in the implementation of projects, networking for joint appearances, organization of joint events, exchange of experiences and knowledge, presentation of examples of good practices, etc.