TIRANA, March 1 /ATA/ – Prime Minister Edi Rama condemned on Sunday the attack on the “Villa 31 x Art Explora” artist residency, apologizing to the international artists affected.
Rama visited the premises following the incident at the former dictator’s residence in Tirana, where several international artists were caught in an attack involving improvised explosive devices. During the visit, he met with Bisej Kapo, executive director of the Art Explora Foundation, who was present with other artists during the assault.
The Prime Minister praised Art Explora as one of the world’s most prestigious artist residency programs.
“For some time now, this former dictator’s residence has been transformed into a home for artists from around the world, making Tirana and Albania a valued destination in this regard. I came to meet the artists and express my deep regret, to apologize for last night’s attack, which could, God forbid, have had tragic consequences. The artists are traumatized and not ready to speak publicly,” Rama said.
He described the incident as “a great shame, a serious blow, a wound on the face of the new Albania, represented by this residency and the talented young men and women who come here from all corners of the world.”
Rama added: “An open Albania cannot be closed. These threats only drag us back into the past and have nothing to do with the future.”
He also addressed those who supported the attackers, saying they are “manipulated, and their actions harm everyone who wants to work, welcome tourists, develop small businesses, or raise their children peacefully here. These threats only take us back to the past.”
Kapo said that roughly 100 people visited the residency yesterday. She described the chaos during the attack: “We were on the balcony-everyone saw it on TV-it felt like it caught fire. The artists moved to the safest corridor, grabbed fire extinguishers, and tried to prevent harm, because the villa is made entirely of wood. The office is wooden, and the situation could have escalated in a fraction of a second. Ignorance is no excuse, and it is shameful to use it to justify such an act.”
Rama concluded that the attack was “not ignorance, but madness, malice, blindness, a mix of things, and above all hatred. It is a unique shame that stains Albania, though fortunately, those responsible are only a small handful of people.”
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