Artan Hoxha: The government does not send equipment to firefighters, but gives them free concert tickets

2026-07-13 22:00:00, Aktualitet CNA

Artan Hoxha: The government does not send equipment to firefighters, but gives

Journalist Artan Hoxha said this evening that the 4.2 million euro fund allocated by the government for the Kanye West concert could have been used to purchase firefighting equipment, at a time when Albania is at risk from fires.

Invited to the show "The Unexposed" with Ylli Rakipi, Hoxha said that instead of firefighting equipment, the government has given firefighters free tickets to the concert.

According to him, in no country in the world is the government involved in the organization of a private concert, but only deals with order and security during the development of this type of organization.

"This concert, they gave us these figures, 100 million euros that we would benefit from. And this concert will be held in Madrid and is estimated to bring in 45 million, and the Spanish government has not intervened with funds. Before the concert took place, I asked how many new fire engines are purchased with 4 million. A fire department leader said that with that much money, so many vehicles can be purchased that a Canadair aircraft will not be needed. Today, our Cougar helicopters went to put out the fire, because those helicopters are not for that job.

Now where is that money more valuable to us, putting out the fire or the concert? Firefighters were given free tickets instead of firefighting equipment. Let's get to the part about how the government managed to estimate that the impact will be 100 million euros. No one has calculated it. The prosecution should launch investigations without filing a complaint at all. At the peak of the fires, when we are in high danger. I have never seen the government get involved in a private concert in any country in the world. The government only deals with order and security. Private companies organize concerts, they do not invite governments ," Hoxha said. /CNA