Konflikyi Gjesti - ONIMA: Accusations, reactions and artists involved in the debate

The clash between the music company ONIMA and the artist Besart Kelmendi, known as Gjesti, continues to escalate, while the company's director, Erkand Shabani, has reacted publicly through several posts on social networks, announcing that he has submitted to law enforcement agencies some new facts that, according to him, are related to this issue.

According to Shabani, this concerns information related to suspicious and organized vehicle movements near ONIMA's offices, as well as the very moment of the conflict with Gjesti, where the latter appeared on the company's premises and damaged several computers, being subsequently arrested. 

He emphasizes that this information has already been reported and should be taken into consideration by the prosecution as an additional element in assessing the risk to him personally and to the company's staff.

Shabani adds that, in cooperation with his lawyer, other evidence will be submitted that, according to him, is related to the actions of various groups that have attempted to secure financial benefits from the company through various threats.

At the same time, Shabani has accused several artists of being part of a public campaign that, according to him, has encouraged the justification of violence and has spread false information to the public. In his reaction, he mentions several well-known names from the music and public scene, among them Zanfina Ismaili, Tayna, Yll Limani, Vesa Luma, Xheneta Fetahu, G-Bani, Pleurat Zeksyla, Oriola Marashi and Besa Kokëdhima. 

He also claims that this campaign was aimed at exerting public pressure on the trial panel and easing the measures against Gjesti, as well as pressuring the ONIMA company to reach a forced agreement.

Shabani further emphasizes that the company will follow any public statement related to this case and that legal steps will be taken for any case that constitutes a violation of the law.
Among other things, he warns that next week the company will hold a press conference, where videos from the moment of the alleged attack on Gjesti will be published, as well as financial reports showing that the company does not owe him any money. 

At the end of his response, Shabani calls for a stop to language that incites violence and emphasizes that ONIMA will continue to defend its position through legal means.
Artists' responses

Following Erkand Shabani's warnings about lawsuits against several public figures, there has been no shortage of reactions from those involved in the debate.

Xheneta Fetahu reacted with irony on social media, calling the situation the "trial of the century." She criticized Shabani, asking him to focus more on workers' payments than on public dramas.

Meanwhile, Zanfina Ismaili chose a different reaction. The singer published only one emoji, implying annoyance and indifference towards the statements made by the head of ONIMA.

The harshest reaction came from rapper G-Bani, who in a video refused to call Shabani "sir" and stuck to the label "slave owner." He stated that Besart Kelmendi does not deserve to be behind bars and that the company's manager himself bears responsibility for the situation.

The rapper even compared Shabani to a dictator who, according to him, is reacting blindly out of the panic of the moment to protect what he called an "illusion of power."
The clash between the parties seems to be far from over, while the press conference announced by ONIMA is expected to bring new developments in this issue that has involved not only the direct parties, but also a good part of well-known Albanian artists.