Budva, Montenegro and Skopje, North Macedonia have been shortlisted in the competition for the title of European Capital of Culture 2028 in an EFTA/EEA country, candidate country or potential candidate. A panel of 10 independent experts recommended the shortlist following a one-day digital meeting. The Commission invited applications from interested cities in December 2021. Budva (Montenegro) and Skopje (North Macedonia) submitted applications by the deadline of 11 November 2022.

Being shortlisted for the title can result in significant cultural, economic and social benefits for the cities concerned, providing that their bid is part of a longer-term culture-led development strategy. The cities have until the summer 2023 to complete their applications. The panel will meet in September 2023 to recommend one city to become, in 2028, the third European Capital of Culture in an EFTA/EEA country, candidate country or potential country, after Novi Sad (Serbia) in 2022 and Bodo (Norway) in 2024.

In the same year, there will be two other European Capitals of Culture, one in the Czech Republic (Bromouv and Budweis have been short-listed in October 2022) and one in France (the pre-selection meeting will take place in early March 2023).