The Mayor of Sector 4, Daniel Băluță, is giving up the idea of deciding alone on the name for the extension of Tudor Arghezi Park, following the controversies sparked by the announcement that the new green space would be named „Donald J. Trump.”
Now, the mayor says that Bucharest residents will be able to vote online for the name of the future park and the Berceni Arena ice rink.
The voting platform was launched on Tuesday morning, and Bucharest residents can choose the name for the park extension from several international political leaders: François Mitterrand, Helmut Kohl, Václav Havel, Jacques Chirac, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron, Donald Trump, Angela Merkel, or Maia Sandu. There is also the possibility of proposing other options.
For the Berceni Arena ice rink, the list includes names such as Ivan Patzaichin, Mircea Lucescu, Dan Grecu, Mihaela Peneș, or Elisa Leonida Zamfirescu.
"The decision should not be mine, but yours"
Daniel Băluță explained in a Facebook post that he changed his approach after the reactions in the public space.
"I proposed that the extension of Tudor Arghezi Park be named Donald Trump Park. Some of you embraced this idea, while others were extremely upset about this issue. That is why I decided to create a platform for us to vote immediately.
And the decision should not be mine but yours. Let's do what you think is best. Because our goal, mine and yours, is for things to turn out perfectly," said the mayor.
Later, the mayor also announced the actual launch of the online platform, urging people to vote and share the link.
Which options do Bucharest residents prefer
A few hours after the online platform was launched, most votes for the extension of Tudor Arghezi Park were going towards the name of the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu.
According to the data displayed on the platform, Maia Sandu had 38% of the votes, followed by former US President Barack Obama with 29%. The name of Donald Trump, initially proposed by Daniel Băluță, had only gathered 8% of the votes.
Regarding the Berceni Arena ice rink, the leaderboard was clearly led by Mircea Lucescu with 56%, followed by former hockey player Doru Tureanu with 16%, and Ivan Patzaichin with 8%.
How did the "Donald J. Trump Park" idea come about
At the beginning of April, Daniel Băluță announced that the new park being arranged near Tudor Arghezi Park would be named after US President Donald Trump, as a symbol of friendship and common values between Romania and the US.
The mayor connected the initiative to the celebration of 250 years since the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence and spoke of a "global story of friendship and respect between nations."
At that time, Băluță announced that he had met with the US Special Envoy for Global Partnerships, Paolo Zampolli, and the new US Ambassador to Bucharest, Darryl Nirenberg, to discuss community collaboration.
Another 4 hectares near Tudor Arghezi Park
The works for the extension of Tudor Arghezi Park started last fall. Sector 4 City Hall announced that the park's area would be increased by another 4 hectares, approximately 40,000 square meters.
According to the local administration, about three-quarters of the new area will consist of green space, with over 1,000 trees, shrubs, and flowers. The rest will include pedestrian walkways, public lighting, and a playground of over 6,000 square meters.
The works are expected to be completed during this year.