Skopje.- Kanye West’s concert in Tirana this Saturday arrives wrapped in controversy following the Albanian government’s decision to allocate 4 million euros of emergency funds to prevent its cancellation, amidst a wave of criticism over the use of public money and the artist’s history of controversies.
The American rapper, who performs under the name Ye, will be the star of a one-night show at a venue built specifically for the event with a capacity for about 60,000 spectators, although only 25,000 tickets were sold to a mostly foreign audience.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama defended the disbursement intended to purchase a batch of tickets and avoid the cancellation of the show, asserting that the measure was necessary to avoid an “embarrassment for Albania” before the thousands of international fans who had already purchased their tickets.
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Attracting revenue to the tourism sector
The funds were used to cover the difference between the tickets sold and those that still remained unsold, and Rama insisted that this was not an expense, but an investment intended to project the country’s image and attract revenue to the tourism sector.
“Some continue to talk about an expense of 4 million euros for a single night, but only someone who refuses to understand does not see that those 4 million euros are an investment that will be recovered thanks to the thousands of visitors who, in the last 48 hours, have filled hotels, apartments, restaurants, bars, shops, and taxis,” the socialist prime minister stated in a message on social media.
However, the decision has opened a new political front for the Albanian government, already questioned by the protests of the movement known as ‘the flamingo revolution’, against the construction of several luxury resorts on the coast linked to Donald Trump’s family.
That movement, which initially emerged for environmental reasons, has gained weight and has become a broader protest demanding Rama’s resignation over accusations of corruption and the privatization of protected public spaces.
One of the poorest countries in Europe
The financing of the show with public money in one of the poorest countries in Europe has sparked criticism from the opposition, cultural associations, artists, and citizens, who lament that such an amount is being dedicated to a concert by an American artist when the country’s cultural sector has urgent, unmet needs.
Many have also criticized the choice of an artist noted for his statements of support for Adolf Hitler and for the sale of products with Nazi symbology on his website.
Ye has faced various international cancellations and restrictions in recent months linked to his controversial statements in favor of Nazism and with an antisemitic tone.
A ban on entry to the United Kingdom thwarted one of his concerts, while scheduled performances in Poland and Switzerland were canceled and a show in Marseille had to be postponed.
