Irena Majcen
{{Short description|Slovenian agricultural engineer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Irena Majcen 2016.jpg
| caption = Majcen in 2016
| office = Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning
| term_start = 2014
| term_end = 2018
| president = Borut Pahor
| primeminister = Miro Cerar
| predecessor = Position created
| successor = {{ill|Simon Zajc|sl}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|03|02|df=y}}
| birth_place = Novo Mesto, Slovenia, Yugoslavia
| party = Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia (since 2010)
| otherparty = Slovenian People's Party (until 2010)
| alma_mater = University of Ljubljana
| occupation = Agricultural engineer
}}
Irena Majcen (born 2 March 1958) is a Slovenian agricultural engineer and civil servant who was Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning from 2014 until 2018. Prior to becoming minister, she was mayor of the Municipality of Slovenska Bistrica (2005–2010) and head of their Department of Agriculture, Food, Forestry, and Economy and Department for Environment, Spatial Affairs, Transport, and Communications.
Biography
Irena Majcen was born on 2 March 1958 in Novo Mesto and educated at the University of Ljubljana Biotechnical Faculty (graduating in 1980).{{Cite web |title=Ministrica za okolje in prostor |url=http://www.vlada.si/o_vladi/ministrstva/ministrstvo_za_okolje_in_prostor/ministrica_za_okolje_in_prostor/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826163907/http://www.vlada.si/o_vladi/ministrstva/ministrstvo_za_okolje_in_prostor/ministrica_za_okolje_in_prostor/ |archive-date=2018-08-26 |access-date=2023-10-27}} She began working at the Slovenska Bistrica Agricultural Cooperative immediately afterwards and later became an agricultural engineer. In 1991, she was elected to the Municipality of Slovenska Bistrica Executive Council. She later served as a department head for the municipality; first for the Department of Agriculture, Food, Forestry, and Economy, and eventually for the Department for Environment, Spatial Affairs, Transport, and Communications.
Majcen was also a co-founder and national vice-president of the Slovenian People's Party. In 2005, she was elected mayor of the municipality of Slovenska Bistrica and was re-elected in 2006. She continued to serve until 2010, when she lost re-election as candidate for Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia, which she had moved to that year. She ran for a seat in the National Assembly twice: in 1992 and 2011.
Majcen joined the Association of Municipalities and Towns of Slovenia committee in 2005 and was promoted to vice-president of the entire organisation in 2006. After joining the European Committee of the Regions in 2005 as a substitute, she was promoted to chair of Slovenia's European Committee of the Regions delegation in 2006, remaining there as late as 2008.{{Cite report |url=https://cor.europa.eu/en/engage/brochures/Documents/slovenian-presidency-council-european/slovenian-presidency-council-european_Slovene.pdf |title=Člani slovenske delegacije v Odboru regij |date=2008 |page=4 |language=sl |access-date=2023-10-27}}
In 2014, the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia (DeSUS) nominated Majcen to succeed Tomaž Gantar as the Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning
{{Cite news |last=Kralj |first=Marjeta |last2=Roglič |first2=Meta |date=2014-09-06 |title=Mešani občutki ob novi kandidatki |work=Dnevnik |url=https://www.dnevnik.si/1042680349 |access-date=2023-10-27}} She accepted the nomination and later served as minister for at least four years. She was succeeded in the position by {{ill|Simon Zajc|sl}}.{{Cite news |last=Jager |first=Vasja |date=2019-03-15 |title=Zeleni alarm |work=Mladina |url=https://www.mladina.si/190060/zeleni-alarm/ |access-date=2023-10-27}} She was vice-president of DeSUS until her resignation in March 2021.{{Cite news |last=R. |first=M. |date=2021-03-10 |title=Erjavec odstopil s položaja predsednika in izstopil iz stranke DeSUS |language=sl |work=Siol |url=https://siol.net/novice/slovenija/erjavec-svetu-stranke-sem-povedal-da-ne-zelim-biti-vec-predsednik-stranke-547627 |access-date=2023-10-28}}
References
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Category:Women government ministers of Slovenia
Category:Environment ministers of Slovenia
Category:Mayors of places in Slovenia
Category:Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia politicians
Category:Slovenian People's Party politicians
Category:20th-century Slovenian politicians
Category:20th-century Slovenian women politicians
Category:21st-century Slovenian politicians
Category:21st-century Slovenian women politicians
Category:Agricultural engineers
Category:Slovenian women engineers
Category:Slovenian civil servants