Pop-up markets are not an administrative whim but the very definition of the meeting between countryside and city, where Bucharest residents can interact directly with local producers, Sector 1 Mayor George Cristian Tuta said on Friday at the opening of the "Safe and Tasty" fair held at the Casa Presei Libere.
"I have three things to say today. First, about these pop-up markets. They are not an administrative whim; they are the definition of the meeting between countryside and city. It is the space where Bucharest residents can meet producers directly. Secondly, I like to repeat this: when you buy from a pop-up market, you are not making a simple transaction, you are buying the work of someone who wakes up at four in the morning to milk sheep, or you are appreciating the enthusiasm of a farmer who started again after his vineyard was destroyed by hail. You do not find these things everywhere; this is what makes a city a city. Thirdly, our partnership with the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority is important, as today we also mark the 'Safe2Eat' day, when you can buy agri-food products knowing they are safe," the mayor said.
He linked the event to the celebration of Europe Day, arguing that everything on display at the fair runs counter to "armchair scepticism" suggesting that "Europe is not heading in the right direction".
"Everything we see here are beneficiaries of Europe, which is not just a flag or a file, but European funds through which many local producers have developed. It is also the guarantee that what you buy has been tested by ANSVSA inspectors, evaluated and can be safely put on your table," Tuta added.
He said a city understands itself best in a market, where one can see "what a country eats, how a community works, how Romanians live".
"A city comes to know itself in a market. That is where you understand what a country eats, what a community produces and how people live. Someone like me, a 40-year-old Bucharest resident, may know at least three delivery apps to bring products home, but probably does not know a single local producer from the area," he said.
At the end, Tuta invited residents to attend the fair over the weekend with family and friends, urging them to come "on an empty stomach", as they would leave "with a bag full of tasty goods".
"I invite everyone who is not here today to join us this weekend and celebrate Europe Day by appreciating the work of these people. Come with friends, with family, on an empty stomach, because I guarantee you will leave with a bag full of tasty products. I hope this tradition will remain in Bucharest, promoting healthy, tasty and safe products from across the country," he added.
According to Alexandru Bociu, president of ANSVSA, the "Safe and Tasty" fair - the institution's first event dedicated to promoting domestic products - marks a shift in approach, from control to partnership with Romanian producers.
"We are changing the paradigm slightly. ANSVSA is known as a control body, but this time we come to support and act as partners. This is an event promoting Romanian products. I thank Mayor George Tuta for this partnership. We will not stop here. Together with Sector 1 City Hall, we assure you that a new edition will take place in autumn, again with safe and tasty products," Bociu said.
Also attending the opening, Daniel Constantin, president of the Romanian Agency for Investments and Foreign Trade, said the event has the potential to become a tradition in promoting Romanian products and producers.
"I remember launching a similar initiative as agriculture minister between 2012 and 2015, and the fair at the Ministry of Agriculture has since become a tradition. I am confident this will have the same success. I am pleased to see representatives of large retailers here; I believe this interaction will lead to greater presence of Romanian products. We all want more Romanian products on supermarket shelves and I encourage everyone to use this opportunity to engage and find voluntary ways to collaborate in a free market," he said.
added that ARICE aims not only to attract foreign investment but also to promote Romanian products abroad to help balance the trade deficit.
"Unfortunately, we face a major issue, which should be a national project: balancing the trade deficit. Eleven years ago, we had a surplus of around 300 million euros; last year, we recorded a deficit of over 3 billion euros," Constantin said.
He also stressed that Romania has the potential to produce "more, better quality and more efficiently".
"I am glad the word 'safe' is part of the event's title. This is the message we must convey today and consistently: Romanian products are not only tasty, they are safe. This year we are participating in 95 international fairs and exhibitions, many in the agri-food sector, fully funded by the state, to promote Romanian products globally, whether from small, medium or large companies," he added.
The National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority, in partnership with Sector 1 City Hall, is organising the "Safe and Tasty" fair from 8 to 10 May at Casa Presei Libere.
For three days, more than 70 artisans will showcase a wide range of Romanian products, from EU-recognised brands to organic and artisanal delicacies.
The event takes place as part of the European Safe2Eat 2026 campaign, run in partnership with the European Food Safety Authority.
Held in the context of Europe Day, the fair highlights the success of cooperation between Romania and the European Union in public health.
Through its partnership with EFSA, ANSVSA underlines that Romania has one of the most advanced food safety systems in the EU, offering consumers guarantees that traditional products meet European standards.
The fair is open on Friday until 18:00 and on Saturday and Sunday between 08:00 and 18:00.
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