In 2012, the Iskra Sistemi Company set up numerous speed cameras on Maribor’s roads, after entering into a partnership with the municipality headed at the time by Franc Kangler and within the framework of a project for modernisation of traffic light systems.
40 speed cameras were placed at 22 junctions, but almost all the money collected went to the private investor, in line with the public-private partnership contract. At the end of 2012, the people of Maribor rose up in opposition to this at mass rallies and Maribor got an 'uprising mayor' Andrej Fištravec after Kangler resigned.
The municipality under Fištravec decommissioned the cameras from the system and after long negotiations reached an agreement with Iskra Company, by which the speed cameras passed into the ownership of the Municipality. This gave the Municipality the authority to physically remove the cameras.
Fištravec: All cameras will be removed
"I am happy that we have finally come to the point at which the speed cameras can be physically removed from the streets and roads of Maribor. Maribor must never again allow a mayor to squeeze its citizens in such an exploitative manner," said Fištravec.
Maribor Municipality stressed that, in order to ensure traffic safety, they have opted for alternative traffic calming measures in the city. They have been following sustainable mobility guidelines for several years and have, among other things, used softer means to control traffic speeds across the wider area of the city centre.