Edi Rama Under Fire / Israeli Media: Albanian Government Defends Giving 4 Million Euros for Kanye West Concert, Funding Sparks Anger Amid Protests

The Albanian government’s allocation of 4 million euros to finance Kanye West’s concert has also drawn the attention of Israeli media. Most recently, The Times of Israel also wrote about this funding by the Rama government.

The article emphasizes that the government defended the multi-million-dollar funding while Prime Minister Edi Rama faces criticism. The outlet also highlights that the anger comes at a time when Rama’s government has been facing massive protests against it for more than a month.

“Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is facing criticism from opposition figures and arts groups in the country after announcing financial backing for Saturday’s concert.

The announcement comes as daily protests demanding Rama’s resignation, initially sparked by a planned resort linked to the family of US President Donald Trump in the south of the country, have entered their second month,” the article says.

Full article:

Albania’s government on Friday defended its payment of four million euros ($4.6 million) to support the upcoming performance by American rapper Kanye West in its capital, amid reports of poor ticket sales.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is facing criticism from opposition figures and arts groups in the country after announcing financial backing for Saturday’s concert.

The announcement comes as daily protests demanding Rama’s resignation, initially sparked by a planned resort linked to the family of US President Donald Trump in the south of the country, have entered their second month.

The movement, triggered by development in a protected natural reserve, has become a catalyst for anger over perceived corruption in the country.

Responding to the criticism in a press statement, the country’s culture minister, Blendi Gonxhe, said it was important to ensure the concert went ahead in order to place Tirana on the “map of capitals hosting events of this scale.”

“The success of a concert is not measured only by revenue from ticket sales,” Gonxhe said, citing the estimated tourism benefits the event could bring.

The rapper has sparked widespread outrage with comments praising Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, a song titled “Heil Hitler,” and the sale of T-shirts bearing a swastika on his website.

He has since denied being antisemitic and distanced himself from his social media comments, attributing them to his bipolar disorder.

The announcement of the funding from Albania sparked anger within the country’s arts community, with a group of creatives protesting outside the ministry on Thursday.

Andi Tepelena, a contemporary art curator, told AFP on Friday: “Albania has many emergencies and priorities,” but Rama instead chose to fund an artist who “supported fascism, antisemitism and justified slavery.”

The concert, which required a purpose-built structure on the outskirts of the city, was planned to host 60,000 people, but local media say ticket sales have fallen far short.

Rama previously said that 25,000 tickets had been sold to foreign visitors and that funds had been provided to prevent its cancellation and “to avoid Albania’s humiliation.”

Gonxhe also said that construction of the stadium had cost around 2.2 million euros ($2.5 million) — denying earlier reports that it had cost as much as 60 million euros ($68.6 million).