You don’t expect the mayor of a Romanian city to have grown up in Germany, studied across Europe, and once worked as chief of staff to former German President Horst Köhler. But then, not much about Dominic Fritz follows the usual script.
He first came to Timișoara at 19, volunteering in a local orphanage; the kind of thing people do for a year before moving on. That formative experience sparked a lasting connection to the city: a bond that would eventually lead him to its highest office. Fast-forward a couple of decades, and he’s now in his second term as mayor; the first foreign national ever elected to lead a Romanian city. That, in itself, says something about both him and the city he calls home. Timișoara saw something in him, and he in it: a shared belief in openness, civic energy, and European values.
Since taking office, he’s pushed hard for change: cleaner public transport, cultural renewal, investment in infrastructure, more space for people, not just cars. The city’s time as European Capital of Culture wasn’t just a year-long celebration. Under Fritz’s watch, it’s become a springboard for rethinking how culture shapes identity, economy, and everyday life; all the while keeping Timișoara’s rich multicultural heritage at the heart of its renewal.
In our conversation with Mayor Fritz, we explore how his unique path informs his approach to governance, the transformative impact of cultural initiatives, and his aspirations for Timișoara as a model of European urban resilience.
This interview was originally published in the Summer–Autumn 2025 edition of Sustain Europe.
As a German citizen leading a major Romanian city, what motivated your decision to move to Timișoara and pursue the Mayoral role?
Well, I simply fell in love with Timișoara when I first came here. I was 19 and volunteered for social work in an orphanage. That love has stayed with me. I visited again, got involved with people, with projects, especially in the cultural and social sectors.
But around 2016, it became clear to me that something deeply meaningful was happening in Romania: a new generation of citizens and politicians was stepping up, bringing new energy, values, and hope. The civic movements, the birth of USR, and the 2017–2018 protests—where I stood in the streets of Timișoara—convinced me that real change was possible.
Coming from the German political and administrative system, I felt I could bring useful experience. But more importantly, I felt a responsibility to contribute. After many conversations about how to bring this wave of change to Timișoara as well, I decided to run for mayor. And I’m still here in my second term, fully committed, because I believe in this city’s potential and in the power of people who care.
As Mayor, how are you integrating the experiences and lessons learned from 2023’s cultural year into your broader vision for Timișoara’s sustainable and inclusive urban development as per the SDGs?
Timișoara 2023 has made it very clear to us that culture drives innovation and innovation drives prosperity. We are continuing to invest in cultural infrastructure that is in line with do no significant harm principles and have included a cultural centre component in one of our most recent urban masterplans for the sustainable development of a former industrial area in the heart of our city. Timișoara needs vibrant and open spaces, to foster community engagement through culture, and we are working hard to create these spaces for those who live in our city.
“Culture drives innovation and innovation drives prosperity.”
How has the European Capital of Culture status impacted the local communities and businesses in Timișoara, particularly in terms of economic development and cultural engagement?
We’ve seen significant increases in the number of visitors as well as how much people are engaging with culture. Over 1.5 million participants engaged in 2,331 events throughout the year. It was the first time people working in the hospitality industry were happy with their revenues. The Project Centre—a new institution we created specifically for financing cultural projects, including those for the European Capital of Culture—has been creating solid partnerships with local cultural actors and we have more and more stakeholders joining us. The hospitality sector has also benefited, and we are working with them to ensure sustainable economic growth.
We’d love to hear more about the ‘Timișoara for Ukraine’ initiative. What are its main objectives and activities?
When the brutal aggression against Ukraine started in February 2022, Timișoara gathered its resources in order to send genuine support both logistic and humanitarian to our sister city—Chernivtsi. Thus, under the banner of the ‘Timișoara for Ukraine’ initiative: public institutions, NGOs, religious communities, the business environment and individual citizens gathered to provide relief. Since then, we have become home to a large community of Ukrainians, to whom we provide a series of services so they can better integrate in Timișoara. Today, our city plays a role in the international efforts for solidarity, reconstruction and cooperation for sustainable peace in the region.
You are a vocal advocate for less car-centric urban mobility. How are you leveraging European funds and other resources to advance the sustainability and efficiency of Timișoara’s public transportation and infrastructure?
Funding from the European Union has been vital for promoting public transportation initiatives. We have funded investments in refurbishing over 9 km of tram lines over three years, as well as renewing the entire public transportation fleet, around 150 trams, buses and trolleybuses, and our e-ticketing system with funds from European programmes, as well as with advantageous credit from the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development. We have multiple projects ongoing that focus on this component and have plans to expand our tram network as well as leveraging government help for an urban train network. I am not going to lie though, as cars are still important in our mobility mix, but with time we want to give people all the right ingredients for a life where they drive as little as possible. I’m glad to see that in the past three years, the number of people using public transport for their daily travel in the city has increased by 20%. Today, nearly half of Timișoara’s population relies on public transport. This is clear proof that our efforts to modernise the public transport fleet and introduce digital services have convinced more people to give public transport a real chance.
“With time we want to give people all the right ingredients for a life where they drive as little as possible.”
Looking back at Timișoara’s tenure as the European Capital of Culture in 2023, what are your reflections on the impact this title has had on the city, particularly in terms of cultural growth and its standing on the international stage?
We pursued two ambitious goals: to redefine culture as a driving force for development and community cohesion, and to place Timișoara and Romania firmly on Europe’s cultural map and beyond. I am proud to say that we have succeeded. From my point of view, Timișoara has shined on the European stage, and I am very happy that so many people from other countries came to us and saw something that was completely different from their expectations. They found a bustling European city, not unlike the one they live in. We received tens of diplomatic and economic delegations, including a visit from the German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The title has been a great catalyst for new cultural networks to form within the city as well as with partners from Romania and Europe.
The title also served as a catalyst for investment in cultural infrastructure and the financing of cultural projects. Today, we are the only city in Romania with a multi-annual financing mechanism for cultural initiatives. Project managers in the creative sector now find it easier and more predictable to budget their portfolios while keeping the ecosystem active and sustainable.
We also launched City Celebration, our own annual event, whose third edition will take place in 2025, headlined by MIKA and James Bay. The event is designed both to generate tourism revenue and to offer high-quality entertainment within the city during the summer season. Previous editions have featured artists such as Passenger, Rita Ora, and Dubioza Kolektiv.
Finally, in terms of infrastructure, we now operate a fully functional network of cinemas, each with its own specialisation. In 2024 alone, these venues attracted over 100,000 visits and offered a well-balanced mix of family films, mass-market titles, and artistic productions.
“The success of 2023 proved that Timișoara has both the talent and the appetite for ambitious cultural programming. That spirit doesn’t disappear, it grows.”
Looking at 2025 and beyond, how do you envision the legacy of the European Capital of Culture title influencing Timișoara’s future, especially in terms of cultural and urban development?
Looking at 2025 and beyond, the legacy of Timișoara as a European Capital of Culture is not a chapter we’re closing, but a foundation we’re building on. The title was never just about one year; it was about shifting how we understand culture’s role in shaping a city’s future. We demonstrated that culture can be a catalyst for urban regeneration, social cohesion, and international visibility. Now, the challenge—and the opportunity—is to carry forward this momentum.
In practical terms, this means continuing to support local artists and cultural operators to reach new audiences, investing in infrastructure that brings culture into everyday life, and reimagining public spaces as places of creative encounter. The success of 2023 proved that Timișoara has both the talent and the appetite for ambitious cultural programming. That spirit doesn’t disappear, it grows.
We envision Timișoara’s future as a city where innovation and creativity are not just values, but engines of urban development. Building on the success and energy of the European Capital of Culture year, we’ve launched a bold new challenge: for Timișoara to become the kind of city that can nurture and launch a unicorn startup by 2030.
This means creating the right environment through talent, infrastructure, and ambition for groundbreaking ideas to grow into global success stories. It’s not just about tech or business, but about believing that a creative, open city can compete at the highest level. After all, the European Capital of Culture title put us on the map, but more importantly, it gave us the confidence and the tools to stay there.
