Controversy around Romania’s shortlist for the European Capital of Culture 2021 title

The judging process for selecting the four Romanian cities to remain in the race for the European Capital of Culture 2021 should be repeated, if two members of the jury are found to have a conflict of interest in the case, said Constantin Chiriac, director of the National Theatre “Radu Stanca” in Sibiu, quoted by local Mediafax. A total of 14 Romanian cities tried to compete for the European Capital of Culture 2021, but only four remained in the race, following a decision of the jury in mid-December. Bucharest, Baia Mare, Cluj-Napoca, and Timisoara are on the shortlist of candidate cities. Several cultural associations in Craiova, Brasov, Iasi, Braila, and Targu Mures have contested the shortlist. They’ve argued that the two Romanian members of the jury, who have been appointed by Romania’s Ministry of Culture, have also been involved in preparing Bucharest’s application for the European Capital of Culture 2021. The panel includes nine European experts, two of them from Romania. The representatives of the cultural associations asked for the removal of the two Romanian experts. The jury should also vote again for the four cities that remain in the race for the European Capital of Culture 2021. The 14 Romanian cities that competed for this title were Alba Iulia, Arad, Bacau, Baia Mare, Brasov, Braila, Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Craiova, Iasi, Sfantu Gheorghe, Suceava, Timisoara, and Targu Mures. The Ministry of Culture organizes the competition. The European Capital of Culture initiative was developed in 1985. The 2015 European Capitals of Culture are Mons in Belgium and Plzen in the Czech Republic. Romania’s Sibiu held this title in 2007. European Capital of Culture 2021: Which are the Romanian cities that are competing for this title? Diana Mesesan, diana@romania-insider.com