“Why should Albanians pay 4.2 million euros for a private concert?” / Mila: Kanye West’s concert, a major event for Albania

Socialist Party MP Sara Mila, invited to the show “Të Paekspozuarit” on MCN TV, stated that Kanye West’s concert has brought benefits to Albania, because tourists came and spent money.

When asked by Ylli Rakipi why the state should pay 4.2 million euros for a private concert, Mila said government intervention was necessary, but the money was not taken from an emergency fund.

Ylli Rakipi: How does Kanye West’s concert help Albania?

Sara Mila: It’s a major event whenever Albania and Tirana welcome a big singer. It hasn’t been easy before. As for Kanye West, I don’t want to get involved personally, I’m not a fan of his personally, but when we talk about an artist of this caliber who turns Tirana into a European metropolis, and the first time this singer chooses a country in the region, it’s big news. Albania has hosted 30,000 foreign tourists for this concert. The promotion goes many times beyond the concert. The fact that it went very well and the images of a European Tirana were in all the media… For Albania, it’s not just the concert, but everything that comes after the concert. The concert went very well, it’s a great event for Albania.

Ylli Rakipi: Kanye West is a controversial figure, his concerts have been canceled in many places, he has made anti-Semitic and pro-Hitler statements. Can such a person improve our country’s image?

Sara Mila: Precisely for these reasons you listed and because Albania does not shift its stance even toward Israel, it does not change the personal opinions and stances of an artist, whether to allow the concert or not, in a country that must be so democratic. We should welcome him for his art. Albanians and tourists enjoyed themselves, he didn’t do politics.

Ylli Rakipi: Why should Albanian citizens pay 4.2 million euros, when tickets for a private festival failed to sell?

Sara Mila: The state had to intervene. I’ve heard speculation that money was taken from the emergency fund. Reserve and emergency are two different things. Let’s clarify for the viewers and opinion-makers. No emergency fund has been touched. There is a reserve fund that comes from the surplus of what is allocated to ministries and is called the reserve fund.

Activist Vatnikaj intervenes.

Sara Mila: I won’t talk at all to someone who doesn’t greet me.

Sidorela Vatnikaj: A delegitimized parliament does not represent us, you don’t deserve our greeting.

Sara Mila: They should do the math, see how much Kanye West has brought back to the budget. This story is another failure of the Democratic Party, after ruining the protest, they’re dealing with Kanye West. They go there and don’t vote for Albania in the EU.