The local budget initially envisaged EUR 1.2m for the project, of which two thirds were to come from EU funds, however the former project managers failed to secure the funding, along with a number of other management irregularities.

The mayor announced he would demand personal accountability.

He said that meetings would be held with individual stakeholders next week to discuss how the plans for the project can be rationalised.

The city's culture and youth office, which has taken over the project, will focus on supporting youth organisations in acquiring EU funding and on furthering volunteering.

After the EYC project was initially set to trim the regular funding of youth activities substantially, EUR 123,000 was now returned to youth activities independent from the EYC.

With the resumed but scaled down EYC, Maribor still aims at setting up at least eight new long-term youth programmes, including at least two in the areas of youth employment and housing.