Government allocates 4 million euros from emergency fund for Kanye West concert

In a video shot amidst the scaffolding and dust of the construction site at the temporary "Eagle Stadium" arena in Kashar, Prime Minister Edi Rama and the Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation, Blendi Gonxhja, appeared enthusiastic as they inspected the construction works of the stadium for the concert of controversial American rapper, Kanye West.

From that perspective, the head of government, although he insisted that it was an event "organized entirely by a private group," declared that "the Albanian state was forced to intervene" by paying 4 million euros.

Rama justified the 400 million lek [4.2 million euros] funding by claiming that “if (the concert) remained unfulfilled, it would be one less opportunity for the city’s economy.”

The money was, meanwhile, passed through a Normative Act approved on July 6 and published in the Official Gazette on July 7, which cites as the legal basis Article 101 of the Constitution for urgent needs. An article that, according to the decisions of the Constitutional Court, can only be used in well-argued and proven cases of emergency.

According to the explanatory report accompanying the Normative Act, the government justifies the need to commit public funds with the argument that it is faced with an artistic event of "such proportions that it significantly affects the image of the country."

The government also attempts to justify the urgency criterion for the Normative Act with the fact that the normal time of the legislative process would not be able to solve the "immediate problem of the risk that the Kanye West concert will not take place."

West's concert, on the other hand, was announced by Rama himself months ago, at the end of April, and until recently, the Albanian government, including the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports, categorically denied the use of public money.

“It is important to note that there are no additional budget funds committed for this project,” stated the official response that the MTKYS sent to BIRN on June 23.

Zef Preçi, director of the Albanian Center for Economic Research, harshly criticized the act as a violation of the law, calling it null and void. “A legitimate Assembly would never approve this Normative Act,” Preçi told BIRN.

Rigels Xhemollari from the Citizens' Resistance also told BIRN that the act in question was in violation of the Constitution.

"Of course the Constitution is being misused," said Xhemollari, noting that the amount spent without transparency, even if minimal, showed that the government had not reflected on the protests that have been taking place for over 37 days in the capital.

Asked by BIRN via a message on the WhatsApp application, Minister Gonxha refused to answer.

"What am I, your secretary?!" Gonxha said, asking the media to "enforce the law," even though there is no law regulating requests for comment.

Misuse of the concept of emergency

The Albanian government's decision to financially support the rapper's concert comes at a time when the artist is a highly controversial figure on the international stage. In recent years, he has faced harsh criticism and a widespread boycott after a series of public statements with anti-Semitic content, sharing conspiracy theories and hate speech.

He was recently banned from entering the United Kingdom due to anti-Semitic comments and a song he released titled “Heil Hitler”; his scheduled appearance at a festival in London was canceled, and similar concerts, including one planned in Italy, were also canceled.

Until recently, Rama and his subordinates have responded to criticism of West's support and stances by insisting that the event was private. But the government's decision and use of the emergency fund raise questions about that support.

Meanwhile, the normative act that finances the concert also raises serious questions about the way the government interprets “emergencies.” Zef Preçi emphasizes that no lawyer or economist can justify within the legal framework the financing of a commercial activity.

He specifies that the reserve fund is designed exclusively for extraordinary situations: natural disasters, national security threats, or unexpected public health emergencies.

“The fund is not used for routine expenses or long-term development policies,” Preçi argues, noting that the concert case conflicts with any restrictions that Albanian legislation places on the use of this money.

For his part, Xhemollari raises concerns that the money is being wasted. Focusing on the 4.2 million euro bill, activist Rigels Xhemollari notes that this amount could have been translated into vital public investments, such as a new school, a hospital, or the purchase of 30 electric buses for Tirana – the city with one of the oldest public transport systems in Europe.

For Xhemollari, the prime minister's justification raises doubts that the only real "emergency" behind this act was the failure to sell tickets and the weak marketing campaign. According to him, in the absence of a transparent budget from the institutions, this financial hole of the organizers is being compensated with citizens' taxes, placing the prime minister simply in the "role of Kanye West's contractor"./BIRN