Bringing citizens closer to their mayor and city services

In 2003, the City of Ljubljana created a Citizens’ Initiatives Service (CIS) allowing citizens to actively participate in decisions that affect their lives, and to quickly resolve their complaints or problems. The Citizens’ Initiatives Service promotes direct communication between the mayor, the city administration, public institutions and public enterprises on one side and citizens on the other. Citizens can contact them in person, via telephone, fax, e-mail, regular mail, and a web service.In 2006, CIS introduced the Mayor’s Open Days, where the mayor meets with citizens at least twice a month at the Town Hall. As a result of this direct communication with the population, the Information Office Info65 + was established for the elderly and people with disabilities. Thanks to this service, certain regulations have already been adopted or amended mostly in the field of traffic regulations; a part of a street was converted into a “shared space”; a free public transport service has been introduced; four electric vehicles, which run within the city centre pedestrian zone, have been facilitating elderly and mobility-impaired people since 2009.