DP's program for culture/ Berisha: We double the budget and reduce the book tax

2025-04-03 14:18:00, Politikë CNA

DP's program for culture/ Berisha: We double the budget and reduce the book

The leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, said today that the DP aims to make major changes in the field of art and culture, as the current situation is urgent. Berisha also shared a part of the party's Program for Culture.

In his speech, from the DP headquarters, Berisha said that culture will have its own ministry, with the most important mission of developing, consolidating and protecting national culture.

Berisha stated that art and culture urgently need full transparency for all funds, which will be decided on May 11.

Berisha added that artists and people of culture and literature should be supported, and that taxes on books will be eased.

“The DP pledges to give primary importance to art and culture as the most essential elements of our national identity.

We Albanians, a plurireligious nation, while others have an identity based on religious belief, we have a national identity based on culture and language. And it is no coincidence that this great disregard for culture and art has a ulterior motive, that it is aimed precisely at national identity.

That's why I'm here to guarantee artists and the entire world of art and culture that the next government will adopt a totally transformative approach to this situation.

First, culture will have its own ministry. Culture is in a state of being, you can imagine. An anti-culture minister who fights with the heritage, with the culture of the country.

So, there will be a ministry of culture with the most important mission of developing, consolidating and protecting national culture.

The leaders of cultural institutions will be elected by the employees themselves. They will be the best of the best.

Imagine what a mess they have made with the management. Take the opera and ballet, how many times they have changed directors. All for the sake of money.

Arts and culture urgently need full transparency for all funding. And I guarantee that boards that establish full transparency will be operational immediately after May 11th.

Meritocracy and removing this sector from conflicts of interest will be the basis of the reform.

Reform in the arts and culture system must engage in a profound reform of the funding sources of this sector.

The government will increase its contribution, double the budget for culture and art.

This is not enough.

The government will enable the private sector's contribution to sponsoring private, cultural and artistic activities with the best sponsorship laws.

The government is committed to national cooperation. So, culture is a matter of national identity.

The government is committed to supporting artists and people of culture, letters, books, and Albanians wherever they are.

A radical transformation of legislation in the field of art, culture and books.

You cannot imagine the taxes that are imposed on books, which drive the book miles away from the reader due to the high prices they impose.

Mandatory return for all public libraries to have books published by Albanian authors, but also by foreign authors.

"A great effort will be made to promote the book, which is being exiled. There is no support, on the contrary there are only huge fiscal and other barriers," Berisha said./CNA