Romanian Ministry of Culture opens protocol seats to the public for major events

The Romanian Ministry of Culture announced a new policy aimed at broadening public access to major cultural events by reducing the number of seats reserved for institutional protocol. Starting this year, those seats will be converted into discounted tickets available to the public, with priority given to students, pupils, and pensioners.

The first event to implement this strategy is the 2025 edition of the George Enescu International Festival, one of the world’s leading classical music festivals. For this edition, the ministry will cut the number of official invitations by approximately 40%, redistributing those seats as half-price tickets for young and elderly audiences.

“This is not just a procedural change, but a shift in vision - from symbolic and protocol-driven participation to genuine cultural engagement,” said culture minister Demeter Andras. “Major cultural events should be real encounters with the public, not exercises in representation. We want a less formal and more people-centered cultural scene.”

According to the ministry, a limited number of seats will still be reserved for institutional and diplomatic guests, particularly at events with an international dimension. However, the overarching goal is to foster broader and more inclusive participation.

Discounted tickets will go on sale Monday morning, July 28. They will be available online via Eventim.ro, as well as in physical format through Carrefour hypermarkets and the Cărturești and Humanitas bookstore chains.

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