Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama Defends €4 Million Funding for Kanye West Concert

Albania’s government has allocated €4 million from the state’s emergency reserve to stage U.S. rapper Kanye West’s concert outside Tirana on 11 July 2026. Prime Minister Edi Rama said the money was released at the last minute to avoid “embarrassing Albania” before roughly 25,000 foreign visitors from 80 countries who had already bought tickets. The cabinet expects the event to generate at least €100 million in revenue through increased hotel bookings and tourism.

The decision has sparked daily protests in the capital, with demonstrators demanding Rama’s resignation and accusing the government of corruption. Opposition figures, including the European Democratic Party and former prime minister Sali Berisha, have condemned the use of public funds for a private entertainment event. Legal scholars and activist group “Albania Becomes” argue that spending the emergency‑fund money on a concert breaches constitutional rules on public procurement and the purpose of the reserve.

West’s performances have been banned in several European nations due to prior antisemitic and Nazi‑sympathising remarks, but the Albanian authorities say the concert will boost the country’s image and economy despite the controversy.