ICR decision to reject cultural projects, challenged

The initiators of dozens of cultural projects have time only until Monday to appeal the decision of the Romanian Cultural Institute declaring them ineligible for funding.

For the contest to which ICR allocates 450,000 lei are not technically eligible projects such as the National Theatre Festival organized by UNITER, Transylvania Film Festival, The Jazz Festival at Sibiu or the DVD production of the award-winning film at Cannes ,"Beyond hills".

According to the ICR, the projects are not technically and financially eligible – there are, therefore, acts submitted to file and compliance.

The publication on the Institute website regarding the ineligible projects list was a surprise for many of their originators.

The president of UNITER, Ion Caramitru, says he found out from the press about the lack of eligibility of the Theatre Festival, and about an hour ago he still did not know the reasons of this situation.

"It's a surprise, I would say, of cosmic proportions, because the National Theatre Festival is an event of the first order - I would say that after Enescu Festival is the most important festival that takes place in Bucharest and has always support from ICR and through a long-term partnership, which we signed. During so many years was eligible and now, suddenly, it is not anymore. We are going to contest in principle, but logically was that we supposed to be know why they are not eligible, "said the President of UNITER.

Ion Caramitru states that funding from ICR is extremely important to organize the festival, while the sponsors are fewer.

Tudor Giurgiu, the director of Film Festival in Cluj, said in turn that there are no clear reasons why TIFF is not eligible, but told me not long ago that he has full confidence that things will work out and that ICR, the old partner of the festival, will overcome the bureaucratic problems.

Moreover, ICR President, Andrei Marga, insisted today in a statement to the RFI that it would not be about a rejection.

"It's been a technical step" - he says – “but those who are not on the list would have been invited since the day before yesterday to complete the documents until Monday; "and then comes the choice of values​​" - added Andrei Marga.

Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea
MTTLC, Bucharest University