The Romanian race for the 2021 Cultural Capital, challenged

Craiova is challenging the short list of the cities racing for the European Capital of Culture title. The discontent refers to the fact that two members of the jury would have been incompatible.

The petition challenging the short list was also signed by other cities initially competing for the title: Iași, Brașov, Brăila and Târgu Mureș, and it will be sent to Jean-Claude Juncker, EC president, to Donald Tusk, head of the European Council, to Markku Markkula, president of the European Parliament, and to other European bodies and leaders.

The objectors argue that two members of the jury that assessed the candidate cities’ bids are incompatible as they are also employees of some cultural institutions in Bucharest. “Valentina Iancu and Raluca Velisar are working for some institutions often praised in the Bucharest 2021 bid. If Bucharest becomes the European Capital of Culture in 2021, the institutions where the two experts are activating will be the main beneficiaries of the projects included in the bid file,” reads the argument.

Moreover, the complaint’s signatories question the bid files have been objectively checked up, arguing that Baia Mare’s file contains the information that the city’s cultural strategy (which is mandatory for the cities racing for the title) has been already adopted, while in fact the Local County hasn’t adopted it yet.

Four Romanian cities have been shortlisted for the European Capital of Culture 2021” Bucharest, Timișoara, Baia Mare and Cluj-Napoca, with the winner being designated next year, most probably in August or September. The jury assessing the bids of those 14 Romanian cities initially going in for the race was formed of 12 members- ten international experts and two Romanian ones. A report of all the assessments will be made public in January.