Corca City Hall: Bregovqi to sing in Albania, do not expel beer with politics

Serbian singer Goran Bregovic is expected to sing to the Albanian public in Korca. Organisers, who have announced his arrival, are naming the atmosphere's resolution the night he will sing Bregovic, until the participation of the Serbian nationalist singer has been rejected in Kosovo. Korca municipality tells Gazeta Express that it is aware of these objections, but describes it being treated more politically than artisticly

It was named as an inspiration to the Serbian Army for massacres in Kosovo, with its song “Kalashnikov”, but this has not stopped them in Korca Hall to invite him to the concert.

By 2006, he had held a big concert in Tirana, where he was awarded the “Tirana Chellier”, by Edi Rama, who was then mayor.

His voice and songs in the Serbian language are expected to echo in Albania again. This time in Korca, at the Beer Fest, held from August 18th to August 22nd.

From the Korca municipality, which is the organiser of the Beer Fest, have declared to Gazeta Express that singers are nominated by a company that also deals with the celebration, but approval or not belongs to the municipality.

“Bashkia is the host of the beer party, the part of the singer contracting is a deal we have with a company that suggests which singers we can get. Of course, approval is passed by City Hall, but singers are proposed, so the part of the show organization is proposed by a contracted company. We haven't actually promoted it yet, and we haven't produced promotional materials as far as this point is concerned. We haven't approved it yet. It's up to us”, has reported for Express Larissa Katundi, from the Korca City Media Office.

Although it has already been announced by organisers that Bregovic is expected to be in Korca, Katundi said he still does not know whether his participation has been confirmed.

I don't know how to be honest, because party organisers know this and normally have to ask those who manage the party, I only deal with the part of the promotion, so I don't know, they haven't yet given us any signal if it's going to be”, she declared.

Asked whether the Korca municipality is aware of the reactions that have been made in Kosovo following news that Bregovic is expected to sing in Korca, Katundi said this is not the first time he comes to Albania.

She said that this issue is being addressed more politically than artisticly, as according to her, Beer Fest has no connection with politics and policy respect,

I've read the portals and I know it's actually been disputed and that this part is very discussed. But it is not the first time he comes, because he has even held a concert in Tirana in 2006, so it is not the first time he is coming to Albania, and not only in Albania but worldwide. I know this has been disputed, I know it's been discussed, but I believe it's being treated more politically than artisticly, after all, the Beer Fest is a party that has nothing to do with politics, it's art and it's not that it's about respecting policies”, Katundy has declared.

Otherwise, news that Bregovic is expected to perform in Korca has sparked many reactions in Kosovo, due to his anti-Albanian stances and songs that have been described as inspiring Serbian soldiers during the Kosovo war.