ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə ðə stˈætʃuːts ʌvðə hˈaɪn pɹˈaɪz, "ðə sˈɪɾi kˈaʊnsəl ɐwˈɔːɹdz ðə pɹˈaɪz bˈeɪst ɔnðə dᵻsˈɪʒən ʌvðə dʒˈʊɹɹi".
According to the statutes of the Heine prize, "the city council awards the prize based on the decision of the jury".