Albania defends funding Kanye West concert

Albania's government has defended its payment of €4 million to support the upcoming performance by US rapper Kanye West in the capital, Tirana, amid reports of weak ticket sales.

Prime Minister Edi Rama is facing criticism from opposition figures and arts groups in the country after announcing the funding support for Saturday's concert.

The announcement comes as daily protests demanding Prime Minister Rama's resignation, first sparked by a planned resort linked to US President Donald Trump's family in the country's south, spill into a second month.

The movement, triggered by the development in a protected nature reserve, has become a catalyst for anger over alleged corruption in the country.

Responding to the criticism in a press statement, the country's culture minister, Blendi Gonxhja, said it was important to ensure the concert went ahead to put Tirana on the "map of capitals hosting events of this scale".

"The success of a concert is not only measured by the revenue from ticket sales," Minister Gonxhja said, citing estimated benefits to tourism that the event could bring.

The rapper has caused widespread outrage with comments glorifying Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, a song titled Heil Hitler, and the sale of T-shirts bearing a swastika on his website.

He has since denied being antisemitic and distanced himself from his remarks on social media, attributing them to his bipolar disorder.

Albania's funding announcement sparked anger among the country's arts community, with a group of creatives protesting outside the ministry on Thursday.

Andi Tepelena, a contemporary art curator, told AFP on Friday: "Albania has many emergencies and priorities", but Prime Minister Rama chose instead to fund an artist who "supported fascism, antisemitism, and justified slavery".

The concert, which required a purpose-built structure on the city's outskirts, was planned to host 60,000, but local media say ticket sales have fallen well short.

Prime Minister Rama previously said that 25,000 tickets had been sold to foreign visitors and that funding had been offered to prevent the concert from being cancelled and "avoid embarrassing Albania".

Minister Gonxhja also said the temporary stadium build had cost about €2.2 million - denying earlier reports it had cost up to €60 million.

Source: AFP