Five years after the collapse of the National Theater (May 17, 2020), the construction of the new theater still remains hostage to unfulfilled promises. On the other hand, the artistic scene, divided by the influence of politics, is suffering its most difficult period.
The battle to protect the National Theater began in 2018 and is still active today in legal terms, marking the longest-lasting resistance in the history of civil society revolts in Albania.
In 2024, a symbolic protest with bouquets of flowers, outside SPAK, brought back one of the most debated issues for which Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj is not being investigated: the violent demolition of the National Theater, in violation of procedures and in the midst of a pandemic.
Veliaj is currently behind bars under investigation for money laundering and corruption. His wife, Ajola Xoxa, is also accused by SPAK, who is suspected of using the non-profit arts organization Harabel to circulate money that came from Veliaj's favoritism for tenders and construction permits.
Xoxe's Harabel Contemporary Art flourished at a time when many independent artists and filmmakers struggled to find financial support for artistic projects.
According to SPAK, through other organizations that Xoxa was connected to or controlled, she received funds from the government and the Municipality of Tirana, run by her husband Veliaj.
In this dynamic, despite the fact that the Theater issue is not being investigated, the artists continue to seek justice.
"In the pit of the Erion Veliaj Theater, he opened a political grave! I am not satisfied with moral punishment, but I expect real punishment for all the violations he has committed in the Theater case, he and all those who were part of the collapse," says actress Julinda Emiri, one of the leading voices in the commitment to protecting the National Theater.
Robert Budina, producer and director, also committed against the demolition of the National Theater, considers Veliaj's arrest more as a measure of social responsibility.
"One of the people who directly attacked the Theater was Veliaj and he personally took responsibility for this story, but to be honest, I don't feel any pleasure from his arrest. I would like us to not have people stealing public funds at all, because in the end, the cost falls on all of us," Budina told Citizens.
The fragmentation of the artistic scene
"From political use to individual complexes, that protest brought division into groups, which unfortunately was also reflected in the profession," Emiri recalls as he analyzes the continuation of the resistance to protect the Theater.
In May 2018, after the first public statements by Veliaj about a project that envisaged the demolition of the National Theater, a petition with 780 signatures from artists and citizens demanded the preservation of the building as part of the city's memory.
At the head of the initiative was actor Robert Ndrenika, accompanied by dozens of others who, a few weeks later, changed their stance and supported the thesis that "the building was dangerous"This came after the meeting with Veliaj on June 14, 2018, where the latter severely relativized the architectural values of the theater building.
"The building could be repaired, but the will was to destroy it.",” actress Adriana Tolka recalls for Citizens, "One of the reasons for the collapse was that it was cold inside, but just like with a house: if you don't heat it, it will be cold... The building was not at fault, but it was convenient for them to destroy it."
About two years later, in May 2020, the government circulated a list of about 100 artists who publicly supported the demolition in the media. Among them were well-known names such as Ndrenika, Tinka Kurti, Altin Basha, Arben Derhemi, Gazmend Paja, etc.
Some of them were present at ceremony private inauguration of the works, which was held on December 21, 2022.
Citizens.al and other media outlets were prevented from reporting from the construction site by law enforcement while the ceremony was broadcast to television stations with a ready-made signal and direction from Prime Minister Rama's personal production company, "ERTV".
The stance against the theater's demolition had consequences for many of the artists who engaged in the protests. Some lost personal and professional relationships with colleagues, others were excluded from artistic projects.
"I have severed relations with most of my colleagues, some don't even speak to me, they can barely look me in the eye, because of what they did," says actress Tolka.
Director Budina claims that he already sees artists divided into "secluded islands," where, according to him, some suffer the consequences of their conformism, a quality which he associates with the dictatorial regime.
"This comes from the time of communism, artists have inherited a kind of conformity with the government and do not speak out. Everyone is unhappy, they speak out separately, but they do not take it on publicly," Budina says.
For the actor of the Migjeni Theater in Shkodra, Vladimir Doda, the recent scandals showed that politics is strongly connected to art, where in addition to the lack of meritocracy, he says that the artistic scene is suffering a kind of dictatorship as art is being used as a shield or justification in leadership or public decision-making.
"I can regretfully say that some figures have gained appointments, benefits, and it is known to whom the funds were given," Doda says, implying connections with a political and corrupt background.
One of the organizations with which SPAK suspects that Xoxa circulated money by camouflaging it with artistic events is Bash-Art, created in 2015 by the couple Altin and Ilirjanë Basha, actor Erion Isai, – currently mayor of Kolonjë Municipality, – and Besart Kallaku.
Bash-Art has received more than 300 thousand euros in support from the Municipality of Tirana in the period 2019-2024 for festivals and artistic projects.
Meanwhile, Altin Basha, after being publicly "Pro" collapse, was appointed director of the National Theater (December 2022), only to be dismissed on January 9, 2025 after allegations raised by the investigative show "Piranhas" for abuse of funds for costumes and scenography.
His wife, Ilirjanë Basha, was responsible for these funds.
The persecution of artists
For some artists, their commitment to protecting the National Theater led to them being left out of projects.
Adriana Tolka, who has played over 60 roles in various theatrical genres, shows that she is in a "blacklist" regarding consideration for inclusion or support for artistic projects.
"Thankfully I'm still working at the National Experimental Theater, they haven't managed to fire me, despite their efforts," Tolka tells Citizens.
"If 90% of the actors who make up our community, who were 'in favor' of the theater's demolition and receive extensive funding from the government after signing, or remain silent about the demolition, I know I can't!" the actress emphasizes.
Julinda Emiri shares a similar view, stating that she has lost several roles due to her stance on the theater. A kind of "persecution" due to her engagement in public resistance.
Various directors have wanted him in their projects, but have been conditioned by their managers to remove him, but Emiri emphasizes that through persistence he has managed to continue his profession.
"I continued to be active in theater and film, winning auditions and collaborating with people who truly love art. Those who work with their own shoulders always find a way out," she says.
Actor Vladimir Doda also confirms the difficulties in finding support and financial backing for artistic works. He says that in general, theaters do not circulate works either.
"Since 2022, I have not been able to make any reductions as a director, and although I have applied for internal funds, such as from ministries or organizations, I have staged plays with young people, one or two a year," says Doda.
The Conditions of the Theater Today and the Remaining Fragments of a Dream
Five years after the collapse of the National Theater, artists continue to work in difficult conditions. Currently, performances are given at "ArTurbina" and "Teatri Eksperimental" with a total of only 550 seats.
In the case of “ArTurbina,” the stage is not suitable for theatrical performances as it is located far below the audience. Meanwhile, artists complain that the lack of acoustic covering minimizes the power of the performance.
"In the last rows, the voice is lost, the intimacy is lost, and it is physically tiring," Tolka says.
Meanwhile, at the "Experimental Theater," artists are forced to rotate in the same place due to lack of space.
"I undress and my colleague follows me, because there's nowhere to go, he or she will be changed too. Conditions like pigs!" Tolka says.
Officially, the construction of the new National Theater building has suffered numerous delays, initially due to the earthquake, the pandemic, and then due to increased construction costs.
Initially, the project envisaged investment in partnership with the private sector by the company "Fusha shpk", which obtained permission to build six towers on part of the land and the adjacent area.
But in 2020, the Municipality of Tirana announced that the project would be developed with public funds. It is currently unclear what the total cost for the theater is, but “Phase I"The project, worth 18 million euros, is being developed by AgiKons and BE-IS shpk.
Entrepreneurs Shkëlqim Fusha (Fusha shpk) and Gentian Sula (AgiKons) are currently suspected of corruption in the Veliaj case. The GJKKO has imposed a mandatory appearance measure against them.
After failing to implement the special law for the construction of the new theater and the towers behind it, entrepreneur Fusha and the Albanian government drafted a new plan.
He obtained permission to build a 33-story tower, taking advantage of the parking lot and two Tirana Municipality buildings next to the former theater.
But, for some artists, there is still hope for the reconstruction of the National Theater where it was and as it was.
"All that is needed is political will. Whoever does it will enjoy civic appreciation," Tolka emphasizes.
While for Julinda Emiri, the theater instilled a certain resistance, which was reflected in other social issues.
"If you notice, even after so many years, when someone makes a scandal or is arrested, they are reminded of the stance they took on theater, because the history of theater did not pass like the others, the battle for it divided two eras," concludes the Emir.
Read also:
He completed his master's studies in the department of Journalism and Communication Sciences at the University of Tirana. She has been reporting for more than four years in Citizens.al on issues of culture, urban development, feminism, etc. She is also a contributor to other local and foreign online media, and has worked in the editing of various materials. She is the author of the podcast "Pezull" on Citizens.al and is engaged as a coordinator of projects related to the empowerment of young journalists and migration issues.
