In 1855, he moved to Ljubljana, where he opened a legal practice. He joined the Slovene National Movement, and became one of the leaders of its conservative stream. He was elected to the CarniolanProvincial Diet, and to the Austrian Imperial Council. Between 1864 and 1869, he served as the first Slovene nationalist mayor of Ljubljana; when he was elected in June 1864, the Slovene national flag was flown on the Ljubljana town hall.[2] His mayorship was utterly unsuccessful, and helped to lay the path to the Austrian Centralist victory in the elections of 1869. After the late 1860s, Costa became one of the most unpopular Slovene national politicians, and the main target of criticism by the national liberalYoung Slovenes.[3]
Costa was active in many Slovene cultural, political and sport associations. Among other things, he served as president of the scientific association Slovenska matica,[4] and of the Slovene section of the Sokol movement.[5]
He died in Ljubljana in 1875.
References
^Taufbuch. Novo Mesto – Kapitelj. 1828–1869. p. 19. Retrieved November 25, 2022.