British media: Kanye West's concert in Tirana sparks anger amid protests against Rama

 

The British magazine IQ Magazine has dedicated an analysis to Kanye West's concert in Tirana, linking its organization to the political debates that have accompanied funding from the Albanian government.

The article emphasizes that the concert took place while citizen protests against Edi Rama's government have been ongoing in the capital for weeks, and the decision to use public funds for the event has sparked widespread criticism both inside and outside the country.

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Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, held one of the largest concerts ever held in Albania on Saturday (July 11th), prompting criticism of the government's financial support for the project at a time when Tirana is experiencing weeks of massive anti-government protests.

The controversial artist gathered around 60,000 spectators in a specially built temporary stadium in Tirana. The project was approved as part of a wider strategy to promote tourism by Albanian authorities, including Prime Minister Edi Rama.

A temporary stadium, the "Eagle Stadium", was built to host the concert, with a capacity three times larger than the largest existing stadium in the country, the 22,500-seat National Arena. According to reports, its construction is thought to have cost over 50 million euros.

Just days before the concert, Rama announced that the government would use 400 million lek (about 4 million euros) from the state reserve fund to guarantee the security of the event. According to him, the concert was expected to bring in over 100 million euros in revenue for the Albanian economy.

It was initially announced that the concert, organized by Streetlife International, would be financed entirely by ticket sales, while the Ministry of Culture only had the role of facilitating the procedures for its development.

However, many critics have described the concert and its last-minute funding as an attempt to divert attention from the protests that have continued daily for more than a month.

The protests began as opposition to a project to build a luxury resort on the coast, but later expanded to include opposition to developments in protected areas, construction on the coastline, and allegations of government corruption, according to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).

In his reaction, Rama wrote on Facebook:

"'We don't have bread, we don't need culture'? Wrong. Culture is not only spiritual food, but also economy, tourism and development. To present such an investment as wasted money means not understanding how economic value is created from cultural and sporting events. On the contrary, canceling the concert would be a shame for Albania and a great damage to the image of the country. "
The Prime Minister added that a concert of this magnitude is not simply an artistic activity.

"It is global marketing for Albania, an advertisement that would cost much more if purchased through traditional campaigns. This is not an Albanian invention. This is how the most developed countries in Europe operate. Whoever thinks that culture is a luxury should reconsider this mistaken belief."
Rama also stated that of the approximately 60,000 participants, over 40 percent were visitors from abroad, who had traveled to Albania to attend the concert, one of only a few European stops by Ye this year.

" Albania does not win by hiding from the world. Albania wins by bringing the world home."
After the concert, Ye himself publicly thanked Albania, writing:

"Thank you Edi Rama and all of Albania for building a stadium and welcoming me to your beautiful country."
The concert in Tirana was one of the few that Ye managed to hold this year, after planned performances in India, France, Poland, the United Kingdom and Italy were canceled, while local authorities and governments in these countries took steps to prevent their organization.

Currently, he is expected to conclude his European tour with concerts in Spain and Portugal, before returning to the US for performances in New Orleans and Chicago.

In recent years, Kanye West has been embroiled in numerous controversies for anti-Semitic, racist, and pro-Nazi statements, including the release of the song "Heil Hitler." He has stated that his behavior was related to bipolar disorder and has publicly apologized.