"I care about what's going on in the city," the 53-year-old said on Tuesday in declaring his bid for the mayor of Slovenia's second city.
Kangler won the mayoral vote in Maribor in 2006 and 2010 but was then forced to resign in late 2012 in the wake of mass protests provoked by speed traps.
Kangler stood for mayor again in the 2014 election when he was defeated in the run-off with Andrej Fištravec, who won his first mayoral term in March 2013 with the support of the protest movement.
Kangler told reporters today that six years ago he had resigned because the protests threatened the lives of police officers. "A single police officer's life is worth more than mayorship," he said, adding that he had proven his case in court.
Indeed, out of 21 cases brought against him by police and prosecution, 14 have already concluded in his favour, the Maribor-based newspaper Večer reported recently.
Kangler said that as mayor he had implemented 53 European projects, including a new pet shelter and the puppet theatre. "I delivered on everything I promised. I will keep my word in the future as well."
He promised to keep the main unit of the Maribor Library in its present location, preserve Maribor as "green city of sports" and add a pet walking park to the pet shelter.
However, his first priority would be to conclude the projects he had started in previous terms, such as resuming the renovation of the Pekarna cultural centre, development of Lent and the Maribor island, and the reconstruction of Koroška Street and the main city square.
"It all depends on finances," he said, expressing concern because the city had failed to prepare well enough to draw funds from the EU's new financial perspective.
Kangler confirmed he was in talks with other parties on potential support of his bid, unofficially the Democratic Party (SDS) and the People's Party (SLS), but added that nothing was yet agreed.
His party's candidates for the city council include Viljem Pozeb, the former director of power company Dravske Elektrarne Maribor, whom Kangler plans to name vice-mayor if he wins the election.
His team also includes doctor Erih Tetičkovič and pensioner Ljuba Jančič, who as city councillor "will fight for the little man".
Apart from incumbent Andrej Fištravec, the intention to bid for Maribor mayor has already been declared by Lidija Divjak Mirnik, the new MP of the Marjan Šarec List, and Melita Petelin, a former vice-mayor.
The Pensioners' Party will run with Uroš Prikl, who now serves as a state secretary at the PM's office, and New Slovenia with Zdravko Luketič.
Vlado Šega, the head of the works council at Dravske Elektrarne, is tipped as the mayoral candidate for the Left.
A mayoral bid has also been announced by animal rights activist Aleksander Kamenik, while the local Youth List and Party of Cyclists and Pedestrians are yet to present their candidates.
