In Vienna, Mayor Zoran Janković and Mayor and Governor of Vienna Michael Ludwig signed an agreement on cooperation between the two cities for another four years.

The two cities have been working closely together for many years, the first cooperation agreement was signed already in 1999 and then renewed multiple times. We are proud that all this time the relations have developed extremely positively and to the benefit of the people of both cities.

With the signing of the agreement, the mayors confirmed the continuation of cooperation, with which the two cities will further deepen their relations. This way, they will also contribute to attaining the sustainable development goals set out in the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development until 2030.

In the coming period, the two cities will actively work together to protect and promote common European values and goals such as human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, human rights, peace, security, solidarity, social justice, tolerance and cultural diversity.

The focus of their cooperation will be on innovative concepts and practical experience in the following areas:

• Protection of the environment and climate with an emphasis on sustainable waste management, renewable energy production, circular economy and urban agriculture, including beekeeping
• Digitization of municipal utility services and digital smart city solutions
• Cultural cooperation, including the protection of cultural heritage
• Participation and inclusion of vulnerable groups (the elderly, children, young people and people with disabilities)

At the signing of the agreement, Mayor of Vienna Michael Ludwig praised the good cooperation between the two cities. He added that he was pleased that we were learning from each other, emphasizing that Vienna can learn from Ljubljana about sustainable development, as Ljubljana was the European Green Capital 2016. He also pointed out that Mayor Zoran Janković is one of the best mayors in Europe.

Mayor Zoran Janković said that he really likes to visit Vienna and that Mayor Michael Ludwig is an outstanding mayor. He added that he is grateful that we are always warmly received and pleased that we will continue to build upon our relations. He remembered that when he took office for the first time as mayor, he wanted Ljubljana to become a combination of Vienna in terms of its orderliness and Barcelona with its lifestyle. In Ljubljana and Vienna, we focus on citizens' high quality of life in a green, orderly, safe and friendly city, where solidarity, tolerance and mutual respect always come first.

In 2018, the then Mayor and Governor of Vienna, Dr. Michael Häupl, presented Mayor Zoran Janković with the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services of the Federal State of Vienna for his services in bringing Vienna and Ljubljana together and for introducing the city policy in Europe.