Lviv (Ukraine), the other city on the shortlist, did not make the cut. Niksic will share the title with Leuven (Belgium) and one of the two cities in Cyprus on the shortlist, Larnaca or Limassol (The results of the competition in Cyprus will be known in December 2025)

We wish Niksic all the best, confident that it has put together an excellent application dossier.

However, we also hope that Lviv will become European Capital of Culture at the earliest opportunity, without any competition, as we are convinced that this title will certainly not make us forget the horrors of an unjust war. But it would already be a small but important step forward.

We at EcocNews had hoped, as we wrote several times in a public petition too, that in this special year of 2030 there would not be three European Capitals of Culture (Belgium, Cyprus and a city in Montenegro or Ukraine), but four, in view of the dramatic and exceptional situation Ukraine is living through. As we have said many times, this would not be a form of restitution or compensation, but a not-so-subtle signal, a first hug from Europe to this region.

In any case, huge congratulations to the entire Niksic 2030 team for the splendid work presented to the evaluation panel. Unfortunately, Niksic 2030 does not yet have a website where you can find information about its bidbook, but only a landing page here. However, we are confident that, as European Capital of Culture, it will now be able to build a rich virtual space where you can find all the information you need.

Nikšić: “open city”
Responding to growing global divisions and tensions, the city of Nikšić chose to develop its bid around the theme of the “open city” and the concept of “čojstvo” (“being human”). Through a powerful cultural programme, the title year will be an opportunity to showcase that openness and solidarity pave the way towards positive transformation: from creativity and learning to resilience and collective wellbeing.

"We wholeheartedly congratulate Nikšić on being selected as the European Capital of Culture for 2030. This remarkable achievement represents a continuation of strong European practices and policies, as well as the result of dedicated work, collaboration, and synergy of the entire team who believed in the vision of the city’s cultural and creative development. Special congratulations go to Mayor Marko Kovačević, President of the Municipal Assembly Milica Lalatović Žižić, and to all the young people whose energy, ideas, and commitment contributed to this outstanding result.
Podgorica, as a candidate city for the European Youth Capital 2028, strongly supports this process and shares a common vision of European values, cultural exchange, and youthful energy. To everyone who contributed to this great success – heartfelt congratulations", says Jelena Borovinić-Bojović, President of the Capital City Assembly.

Nikšić is Montenegro's second-largest city, with an urban population of 66,700 as of the 2023 census. It lies in the western region of the country, at the heart of the expansive Nikšić field, nestled at the base of Trebjesa Hill. Nikšić serves as the administrative center of the Nikšić Municipality, which encompasses a population of 65,705 and spans the largest area among all Montenegrin municipalities. By territory, it was also the largest municipality in the former Yugoslavia. The city plays a key role as a hub for industry, education, and culture in the country.

This is Montenegro's second city, and while everyone rushes to the sparkling Adriatic coast, here lies a treasure that very few tourists discover. There is the Ostrog Monastery, literally embedded in the rock as if some visionary 17th-century architect had decided to defy gravity for sport. There is Lake Krupac, which the locals affectionately call their “sea”.

Then there is Bedem Fortress, where the Ottomans planned their strategies but today electric guitars resonate, the Cathedral that will make you forget you are in an industrial city, and King Nikola's Palace, now home to the Zavičajni Muzej, the County Museum.

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EcocNews is an independent, non-profit, online newspaper. We cover the world of European and National Capitals of Culture.
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