The Christmas market in Sibiu has been suspended because of the current Covid-19 crisis and the risk of further increasing the number of coronavirus cases, the organizers of the event said.

“The evolution of the pandemic is worrying, and any risk needs to be eliminated. […] We have decided to cancel any risk, as low as it may be, in the hope we can do our share in slowing the increase in the number of coronavirus cases, something we should all be doing at this time,” the organizers said.

If the situation improves, the organizers will reconsider the decision, they said.

Sibiu’s Christmas market is one of the most visited in the country, bringing a high number of tourists to the central Romania city. Its first edition was in 2007, when the city held the European Capital of Culture title. 

Last year, the New York Times featured the event in an article focused on Sibiu and mentioned how the “little-known market in Transylvania has added sparkle to an ancient city with a German-speaking community.”

The county of Sibiu reached 5,813 coronavirus cases by November 2, and an infection rate of 4.04 per 1,000 inhabitants, according to data from the Strategic Communications Group. In the city of Sibiu, the rate stood at 6.03, the Sibiu Prefecture announced on Monday.

Bucharest also said it would not hold a Christmas market this winter because of the coronavirus crisis.

(Photo: Calin Stan | Dreamstime.com)

simona@romania-insider.com