Minister says ban on turbo folk music was 'expected'

City authorities have the right to decide what kind of content they allow in public spaces, said Culture Minister Nina Obuljen-Koržinek on Friday.

The minister made the comment with regard to the recent decisions by the mayors of Pula and Osijek to ban turbo-folk music in public concert halls.

"The owners of venues, in this case, the City of Osijek and the City of Pula, have every right and responsibility to decide what kind of content they want to allow in public spaces. I think that is a normal, natural and, for me, expected decision by those two mayors," said Obuljen-Koržinek.

Pula Mayor Filip Zoričić refused to give consent to a concert of folk and turbo folk music singers to take place in the Pula Sports Centre, despite a signed contract between the venue's management and the event organisers; while Osijek Mayor Ivan Radić refused to have the same concert held in Osijek's city premises.

The minister said that these cities are investing a lot in branding themselves as capitals of culture and in upgrading the cultural life.

However, she was quick to add that Croatia was not a country where cultural content is censored.

"Everyone is free to organise whatever kind of concerts they want in any commercial venue and concerts like that are conducted in different Croatian cities every day," said Obuljen-Koržinek.