News agency Reuters writes that Prime Minister “Edi Rama defended the government’s decision to spend such an amount of money, as he tries to soften the strong public backlash and anger that has fueled protests and calls for his resignation.”

Reuters notes that Kanye West has been banned from performing in several European countries this summer following his statements, which have included praise for Adolf Hitler and the use of Nazi symbols.

The concert, scheduled for July 11 on the outskirts of Tirana, is expected to take place in a temporary stadium built specifically for the event.

In a Facebook post, Rama said the €4 million fund was approved at the last minute in order, according to him, to avoid damaging Albania’s image.

“We allocated €4 million at the last minute to avoid Albania’s humiliation in front of nearly 25,000 visitors from 80 countries around the world, who had already bought tickets for Kanye West’s concert, while many others feared it might be canceled,” Reuters quotes Rama as saying.

According to the prime minister, the event is expected to bring the Albanian economy at least €100 million in revenue, thanks to increased hotel bookings and tourism-related activities during the days of the concert.

However, his statements have sparked numerous critical reactions on social media. One commenter wrote that “Albania is humiliated when it welcomes a singer who admires Hitler,” while another responded: “Shame, not with my money!”

Reuters recalls that civic protests in Tirana have continued every day for more than a month. They initially began against plans to build a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The protests later widened to oppose other tourism projects near protected coastal areas, while protesters are also demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama’s resignation, accusing the government of corruption.

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