The last decades have seen the consolidation of Cluj as Romania’s first economic centre after Bucharest. But Cluj’s case is different from those of other major urban centres in Europe. Cluj is trying to radiate development throughout the region. First, there is the metropolitan area itself. Then it’s the whole county. Thirdly, Cluj is rediscovering its vocation as the historic capital of Transylvania and the engine of the Romanian economy. What makes Cluj a special place, we find out from the vice-president of Cluj County Council, Vákár István.
Reporter: Mr. Vice President, statistics show that Cluj has developed economically at a better pace than other urban centres. Why did this happen?
Vákár István: I would start my answer with a joke. A public opinion polling institute carried out a survey in which the inhabitants of different cities were asked to say which they considered to be Romania’s second city. Those from Iași answered that Iași; those from Constanța answered that their city, Constanța, is in this position; those from Timișoara answered that Timișoara is; those from Cluj answered that Bucharest is the second city in Romania, because Cluj is the first city of the country. Beyond the anecdote, we are talking about the desire to perform, the desire to be competitive, not only in the national context, but also at European level. This desire can be found among the universities in Cluj. If we take international rankings as a whole, we can see that universities in Cluj are among the top universities in Romania, as well as in the European elite. The same is true in sport, where Cluj has produced champions in the most popular competitions, football and basketball. But it’s the same on the economic level. Romania’s biggest bank, Banca Transilvania, has its headquarters in Cluj. There are many companies from Cluj, in high-tech sectors such as IT, that have taken the step towards internationalisation. All these things create value and raise the quality of life in Cluj.
Reporter: But there are also some problems, such as pollution and overcrowded traffic, not to mention the fact that Cluj has become the most expensive city in Romania…
Vákár István: And if we are talking about a child, there are different problems when growing up. Everything you said is true. But there is good news: Cluj is not only growing, it’s developing. And where there are problems, we try to find solutions. On pollution, for example, I should mention that the first city in Romania to introduce electric buses was Cluj-Napoca. Also, the first city with 100% electric public transport is also in our county, in Turda.
The County Council has also undertaken a massive reforestation programme. We want to encourage the community of Cluj to plant one million trees. As a graduate of the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, I am glad that my university supports this initiative. To tackle the problem of congested traffic, the County Council has launched the park and ride programme, which aims to encourage drivers to park at the edge of the city and use public transport from there. There are other initiatives worth noting, such as Green Friday. Every Friday, riders ride free on public transport in Cluj. I myself use public transport as often as I can and I can say that it is well organised. You mentioned another problem: expensive housing. It is a problem generated by the attractiveness of Cluj. Most of the students who come to the city fall in love with Cluj and want to stay here. This is good, because we are talking about well-educated, dynamic and energetic people. To provide housing for all, we need to change the community’s thinking. First of all, let’s encourage the right investments in real estate, not only in Cluj but also in the metropolitan area. This is where our role, the public administration, comes in. We must have the same living standards in Baciu and in Cluj, in Florești and in Apahida, in Feleacu and in Chinteni and so on.
Reporter: But in order to secure housing, young people need to have well-paying jobs, right?
Vákár István: Of course, and that’s why the public administration has invested in the development of projects like the Tetarom industrial parks. These parks have attracted world-class investors such as Emerson, Bosch, DeLonghi and many others. But local investors have also found the Tetarom parks a good environment for development. Then the County Council also invested in the airport development. It is the most dynamic airport in the region, which, with God’s help, will reach the 3,000,000 passenger threshold next year. The County Council has also invested in upgrading the road network. The County Council is also an active member of the Cluj clusters, which play an important role in the transfer of technology from academia to the economy. I should also tell you that people don’t just want jobs and housing; they want to enjoy life in decent conditions. That is why we have invested in modernising hospitals, which are among Romania’s elite. The County Council also supports high-performance cultural institutions, such as the Transylvanian State Philharmonic or the County Library, as well as museums and centres that highlight Transylvania’s traditions. We, the people of Cluj, together with our dear guests, enjoy Cluj’s superb heritage, outstanding gastronomy, superb festivals and a cultural heritage that makes us proud to belong to a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional community, where everyone should be free to live together in peace with those who love our Cluj, of all of us.
