For several weeks, thousands of Albanians have taken to the streets demanding the removal of Prime Minister Edi Rama. In an attempt to repair his image, he brought the controversial rapper Kanye West to the country, but the move did not yield the expected results.
The Albanian government itself spent over four million euros to build an arena called “Eagle Stadium” near the capital’s airport. It was constructed to welcome an extraordinarily debated figure: Ye, the stage name of Kanye West. In recent years, he has drawn attention for antisemitic outbursts and several statements that cast a positive light on the figure of Adolf Hitler.
Të lidhura
None found
Although the rapper published an ad in the Wall Street Journal earlier this year apologizing to those he had hurt and clarifying that his words were a consequence of manic episodes caused by bipolar disorder, this was not enough to undo the prejudices. In countries such as Great Britain, Italy, India, and Poland, his concerts were canceled, often after intervention by local governments.
However, the scenario was different in Albania. Edi Rama, often labeled a pragmatist who knows no obstacles, meanwhile consistently presents himself as a staunch supporter of Israel. Nevertheless, he saw no moral obstacle to inviting Ye over the weekend, dismissing the voice of the Albanian Jewish Community, which had warned that this did not prove “cultural openness, but a moral contradiction.”
In enthusiastic tones, Rama had declared before the event that the spectacle would generate benefits for tourism and the economy, turning Tirana for a few hours into “the world capital of music.” This positive image was something that Rama, who is also a visual artist, badly needed, considering that for weeks he has been facing calls for resignation and accusations of corruption and misgovernance.
But the result of the show was by no means triumphant. The days leading up to the concert again saw tens of thousands of citizens take to the streets of Tirana to demand “dignity, justice, and change.” Local artists also gathered in front of the Ministry of Culture to express their anger over the spending of more than four million euros from the state coffers on an event that, in their eyes, served above all as “the prime minister’s political marketing.” They highlighted the contrast with the meager funding received by Albania’s independent art scene, which benefits from less than half a million euros per year. Protest banners bore inscriptions such as “Ministry of Shame.”
Despite the substantial funds poured in by the state, the stadium was not full. Media in Albania reported that the executive had started distributing free tickets en masse among state administration employees and students. Even inside the arena, calls for the dismissal of the head of government were heard. This failure is another link in the chain of Rama’s unsuccessful attempts to curb the collective anger.
The flame of the protests was ignited after a serious event at the end of May, in the Narta Lagoon, near the mouth of the Vjosa River. This protected area, habitat to over 200 species of birds such as flamingos, was suddenly turned into a construction site with fences and barbed wire. Violent clashes between private guards and spontaneous protesters were the catalyst that transferred the revolt to the capital, enlarging the demands from nature protection to direct calls for Rama’s resignation.
The indignation was reinforced by investigations from the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption. It issued arrest warrants for several individuals suspected of drug trafficking and money laundering through suspicious land transactions, some of which were located precisely in the Narta area. Plans for the construction of luxury hotels in that zone, reluctantly confirmed by the government, further fuel the anger. The highest name mentioned in this context is that of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of Donald Trump, but so far investigators have found no indication that he was aware of the criminal activities. Nevertheless, the focus of the revolt remains on the lack of transparency and suspicions of corruption in the government’s handling of properties.
A legal change in 2024, which now allows construction in protected areas, has increased public distrust and international concerns. In mid-June, the European Parliament asked Tirana to stop the works and revoke that law. The German federal government, in response to a question from Green Party MP Boris Mijatović, also stated in early July that it shared Brussels’ concerns regarding the respect of European standards. Mijatović, however, criticized this stance as passive, emphasizing that it sends the wrong signal in the region and that Berlin should use its influence to protect the lagoon.
Whether Rama managed to achieve his goal of improving his image remains unclear. Usually active on social media, he made do with just a share of the rapper’s thanks, who expressed gratitude for the hospitality and for the stadium built in “their beautiful country.”
