Gabriela Firea's remarks on street events criticised by many

Event organizers, civil society voices and central authorities have reacted to mayor Gabriela Firea’s statements regarding the use of Constitution Square as a concert venue.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, Gabriela Firea called for concerts and street events to be held elsewhere than on city streets, so as to prevent traffic jams. “This very week-end, traffic in the capital was blocked and not because there were many cars on the road – people were at the seaside, in the mountains, they left on holidays – but because many street events held in the center of the capital receive approval, be they cultural, entertainment or sports [events], something that does not happen in other European capitals. There, there is respect for citizens, for tourists and in general respect for the fact that traffic should not be blocked by this type of events – and it is a good thing they are being organized – but they should not be organized in the center,” Firea said.

The Bucharest mayor also added that several people have complained about the street events.

As an alternative, Firea proposed that partnerships be created with event organizers to hold performances at venues such as Romexpo or National Arena, to compensate for the higher renting costs. It costs organizers only EUR 1,600 per day to rent the Constitution Square for events. By contrast, rents at the two venues can go up to EUR 15,000 per day.

Mayor Firea’s statements caused outrage among concert organizers and were criticized by numerous civil society voices, including public officials such as Culture Minister Corina Suteu.

Concert organiser: “This is chaos”

Lenti Chiriac, production manager with D&D Entertainment and organizer of two major events to be held this summer, the concert of pop star Rihanna and Rock the City, said it was not possible to forbid concerts at the venue.

“The Constitution Square is public property and belongs to the Bucharest City Hall. Why should one forbid an event there, if all organizers are paying? Was it me who set the price? I paid the price that was requested. This is chaos,” Chiriac told Digi24.

Culture Minister requests face-to-face meeting

Minister of Culture Corina Suteu promptly criticized Firea’s statements and said she was going to meet the mayor face-to-face in order to further discuss the topic. “I believe street cultural events are essential to bring people closer to their own city, and encouraging this type of events has positive effects on city life as well as that of its inhabitants. I believe, moreover, that public space, pedestrian areas, spaces for social interactions are factors of cohesion and welfare inside contemporary cities. Traffic jams are not caused by these street events, but are rather the consequences of urban planning issues that were left unregulated,” Suteu wrote on her Facebook page.

Sector 1 local councillor Clotilde Armand also lashed out at Firea, saying the mayor wanted to “punish Bucharesters by forbidding access to cultural and sports street events that add charm to city life and are a sign of normalcy” in a city that is among the most polluted in Europe.