The capital of North Macedonia, Skopje, has been named the European Capital of Culture for 2028, said the House of European Culture in Brussels.

Skopje will share this title with the Czech city of Budejovice and a city in France, yet to be designated in December 2023.

The North Macedonian capital competed against the other short-listed city, Montenegro’s Budva.

In 1985, the Greek Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri, took the initiative to start the European Capital of Culture program in order to promote the diversity of European cultures, highlight their common history and values and encourage the contribution of culture to the long-term development of cities.