"We avoided Albania's embarrassment"/ NBC News: Tirana 'chokes' in protests, Rama justifies millions for Kanye West

The decision to publicly finance Kanye West's concert in Albania has also received the attention of international media.

NBC News reports that Prime Minister Edi Rama has defended the allocation of around 4 million euros for the musical event, while facing criticism at a time when anti-government protests continue in Tirana.

According to Rama, writes politiko.al, the funds were made available to avoid canceling the concert and damaging the country's image in front of thousands of foreign visitors who had purchased tickets. The Prime Minister claims that the event will bring significant economic benefits to Albania.

But the decision has sparked reactions from citizens and protesters, who have opposed the use of public money for the concert, placing it in the face of other social and economic issues.

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Albania's prime minister on Wednesday defended his decision to spend 4 million euros ($4.56 million) on a concert by American rapper Kanye West, as he sought to defuse the anger caused by the event, which has heightened tensions amid public protests and calls for his resignation.

Kanye West, also known as Ye, was banned from performing in several European countries this summer after his statements that included praise for Adolf Hitler and content with Nazi symbols. He later apologized for some of those statements.

The concert, scheduled to be held on July 11 on the outskirts of Tirana, will take place in a temporary stadium built specifically for this event.

"We allocated 4 million euros at the last minute to avoid embarrassing Albania in the eyes of around 25,000 foreign visitors from 80 countries, who had already bought tickets to see Kanye West, while many others were worried that the concert might be canceled," Prime Minister Edi Rama said in a Facebook post.

Rama said that the event is expected to generate at least 100 million euros in revenue for the country, following an increase in hotel and accommodation reservations during the concert period.

Rama's announcement brought a wave of negative comments on his Facebook page.

“Albania is ashamed to welcome a singer who admires Hitler,” wrote one commenter. “Shame, not with my money!” said another.

Daily protests have been taking place in Tirana for more than a month. They began over plans for a luxury resort by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Subsequently, protesters also opposed other development projects in coastal areas near protected areas and have also demanded Rama's resignation, accusing his government of corruption, a claim the prime minister denies.