In one of the challenges of "VIP Farm 3", where farmers had to answer several questions through a card game, an answer by Mimoza Ahmeti sparked reactions online.
Mimoza, Sara, and Gresa were at the table when the former was asked to name a colleague who, in her opinion, does not deserve the success they have.
Moza's response was direct:
"I'm saying about Ismail Kadare, who I have as a colleague in my field, he doesn't deserve all the success he has."
Although this response did not arouse curiosity among other nearby farmers, the video has gone viral and people are commenting on the writer's opinion. The most liked comments are those of people who agree with Moza, expressing that they also think the same way as her.
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The occasion required colleagues to appreciate colleagues for their work, which Moza did, but without having the opportunity to elaborate. The supportive comments (probably from non-colleagues) however, opened a debate that has existed for decades regarding the figure of Ismail Kadare, who has often been a controversial figure.
Beyond his literary success, the debate over Kadare's relationship with the communist regime in Albania has long existed. Some critics have seen him as an author who managed to survive artistically within the system, while others have raised questions about his closeness to the regime of the time. Kadare himself, over the years, has spoken about censorship, political pressure and the way his literature communicated against the dictatorship through metaphors and allegories.
However, Ismail Kadare remains the most famous figure of Albanian literature in the world, whose works have been translated into dozens of languages. His novels are studied in European universities and for years his name has been constantly linked to discussions about the Nobel Prize in Literature. For many, Ismail Kadare is the name that brought Albanian literature outside the borders of Albania.