Albania has defended its decision to financially support a Kanye West concert after multiple European countries banned him from performing. Prime Minister Edi Rama said the government approved a €4 million (about $4.56 million) package to ensure the show could go ahead for the many international ticket holders already planning to travel.
Rama argued that the funding was intended to avoid “embarrassing Albania” in front of nearly 25,000 visitors from around 80 countries who had purchased tickets, even as others had expressed concern the concert might be cancelled. He also claimed the event would generate major economic benefits, including a potential tourism windfall.
The concert is scheduled for July 11 outside Tirana in a makeshift stadium built specifically for the event. Albania’s move follows a broader pattern of restrictions on West’s performances across parts of Europe, with authorities and venues citing controversy surrounding past remarks and related imagery. Despite that backlash, West has continued performing in some countries where he has been allowed to appear.
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