Stelian Bujduveanu - Acting Mayor of the Capital

Nicusor Dan has submitted his mandate as General Mayor of Bucharest to take office in a few days as President of Romania. The extraordinary meeting was convened by Nicusor Dan, winner of the presidential elections. The leadership of the capital remains, until the fall elections, in the hands of Deputy Mayor Stelian Bujduveanu, appointed interim mayor, as voted today in the meeting of the General Council of the Capital.

The councillors voted in the new leadership formula and wished the incoming mayor success, but warned that the city's projects "cannot go on vacation".

Councillor Catalin Tenita called for a halt to authorizations that choke traffic and zero interventions through "conjunctural" PUZs, while Adrian Vigheciu called the interim "a window of opportunity" for policies focused on transport and infrastructure, urging to overcome inertia.

Deputy Mayor Stelian Bujduveanu, elected by a vote of the General Council, will take over after Nicusor Dan's resignation and said the new president's urban vision, along with the projects of the capital's City Hall, must continue.

Stelian Bujduveanu - Interim Mayor of the Capital: "The opportunity that the President of Romania is giving us today is to carry forward the vision with which he was elected twice to the City Hall and now to the highest office of the State. I will not be an elected mayor, but an interim one, and my responsibility is to make sure that the institution remains functional and that the direction set by the former Mayor General is maintained. The investment projects in public transportation and district heating must continue: from Monday, we will be responsible for the lives of the citizens of Bucharest. The interim will be functional, even if Romania is going through a government crisis and the president must quickly form a pro-European government. He must know that there is peace and functionality at home."

Nicusor Dan's message - former general mayor, President-elect of Romania: "Bucharest must continue to absorb European funds. The heating system is on schedule; a call on the Regional Operational Program, crucial for tram lines, depots and rolling stock, is next. I hope I can influence this process from my new position. Unfortunately, 2025 will be a lost year for City Hall due to budget constraints, except for European projects. Town Planning remains essential; I have full confidence in the team of the Town Planning Department."

In the end, 46 of the 52 general councillors voted: 38 for Stelian Bujduveanu and 8 against. The new interim mayor has promised "continuity without any hitches": district heating, single lanes and major urban mobility projects will remain on the path set by the former mayor. At the same time, he emphasized that the City Hall will operate "at full capacity, back to back with the citizens of Bucharest".

Translated by: Radu Matei