The European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education has endorsed the Commission's proposal to extend the status of Rijeka and the Irish city of Galway as European Capitals of Culture for 2020 until the end of April 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Commission has also proposed postponing the year in which the Serbian city of Novi Sad is due to host a European Capital of Culture from 2021 to 2022 and the year in which Timisoara, Romania and Elefsina, Greece will hold the title from 2021 to 2023.

Rijeka and Galway have been forced to cancel, postpone or adjust many of their planned events and could not capitalise on their preparations.

“This decision offers the best solution for these cities to regain the missed opportunities due to the corona crisis. Holding the status of European Capital of Culture should be seen as a privilege to promote the culture scene of the region and European values by bringing together people and cultures,” the EP rapporteur on this issue, Zeljana Zovko (EPP-HDZ), said after the vote on Wednesday.

“In close cooperation with the stakeholders involved, the European Union is willing to provide additional chances to the affected cities to realise these objective in a sanitary safe but culturally enriching fashion,” she added.

The Commission’s proposal now goes to the European Parliament and the Council for consideration and final adoption.