The Ministry is requested to cancel the process for "illegitimate artistic director" of the Theatre

Pristina, February 26 - Although it refers all day today to a position that, according to the legislation in force, does not exist at all, the Ministry of Culture has so far not canceled the process for the election of the "artistic director" of the National Theater of Kosovo. The Association of Theater Artists of Kosovo on Friday addressed the highest cultural institution in the country with the request to stop the selection process of the "illegitimate artistic leader". On January 26, this same association addressed the MKRS with the request to cancel the competition.

"The Association of Theater Artists of Kosovo (SHATK) has received with concern the news through the media that the Governing Council of the National Theater of Kosovo will continue with the selection procedures of the artistic director of this institution, despite the fact that this process fundamentally contradicts the laws in force", it is stated in the reaction of SHATK that was conveyed to the media.

This association, on this occasion, recalled the letter made fixed a month ago by which MKRS was warned that "it is opening a competition for a position that does not exist", while the Governing Council of TKK had continued with the selection procedures for a position in which no competition has been opened.

According to the reaction of the artists, the competition with reference 4163/2020 specifies the job title as "artistic director".

"This position, based on the legislation in force, does not exist at all. The National Theater of Kosovo has only one director, the general director. At the same time, there are also different leaders, among them the artistic leader. The competition in question has been opened for a job position which does not exist in the structure of the National Theater of Kosovo. As such this contest is not valid, and is illegitimate. For this reason, SHATK demands that this competition be canceled immediately, and without wasting time, the competition for the artistic leader of TKK be opened".

Further in the reaction signed by the Executive Board of the Association - composed of Armend Smajli, Erson Zymberi, Faris Berisha, Kushtrim Koliq and Rebeka Qena - this whole process is harmful for the National Theater of Kosovo.

also Culture 1 Tues 2021 The competition with which the Ministry was mistakenly looking for an "artistic director" of the Theater is cancelled

During the day, KOHA tried to contact the chairman of the Governing Council of TKK, Agron Shala, but did not receive a response. In fact, the new composition of this council was completed at the end of last year by minister Vlora Dumoshi with the following names: Munish Hyseni, Besim Rexhaj, Mustafa Halili, Agron Shala, Ismet Azemi, Samka Ferri and Feim Maliqi. Recently, Samka Ferri, as the only female member of this council, resigned. Contacted by the newspaper about the reasons for her resignation, she replied briefly that "they know those reasons". But it is unofficially known that her dissatisfaction with the other members of the Council has caused Ferri to resign.

Otherwise, until 2012 the position of the artistic director according to the Law on Theaters was appointed as "artistic director". But with the entry into force of the current Law, only the general director is called a director.

Directors Sokol Plakolli and Ekrem Sopi have competed for artistic director at the National Theater of Kosovo. Besides them, the dramaturg Albana Muja is also in the competition. The position of the artistic director had been vacant since June 2019. Fatos Berisha's refusal to accept the position caused the Governing Council to appoint actor Adrian Morina as the acting artistic director of TKK. The competition for this position, as well as for general director of TKK, was opened in December last year.