Prominent composer Edmond Zhulali, the first to lead Albania to Eurovision with "The Image of You" - Anjeza Shahini (2004) and placed in seventh place or "Carry Me in Your Dreams" - Casey Tola (2009), gave one interview recently in the "Opinion" section on News24 where he did not spare criticism for the way the "Festival of Song" was organized, where he certainly stopped at the jury voting.
At the beginning of the interview, Zhulali emphasized that "the integrity of the Albanian song has been violated", due to the presence of foreign composers.
?I have expressed a great concern, of course, personally. This has been the main pillar of the festival, with Albanian singers and songwriters. VAT is deducted from Albanian taxes and all this must be returned to the citizens. The composer is the one who gives the spirit or appearance to an Albanian song and not an Albanian one. These songs are always intended to be Albanian. By violating this, it also violates the integrity of the Albanian song. If you violate the festival's underlying column, that's too heavy. This is a decision of the festival director. It is a decision of artistic director Vera Grabocka. The festival is an institution and there is a regulation. ?
The composer notes that the rule that foreign composers are not accepted - and here is Darko Dimitrov who composed not one, but two songs, "Shout" and "Come on" - has always been present.
"At the Sanremo festival no competitor is allowed unless he has Italian citizenship. The criteria were kept secret, while I didn't know that a songwriter could participate with two songs. The festival director and artistic director are responsible. Vera Grabocka could not be an art director. "
Zhulali points out that "there are no scales in art", which means that every person perceives the song according to taste and musical formation. "This jury of five members had only one foreign composer and he was Greek," he added.
Regarding the jury's much-discussed jury voting, Zhulali said voting should be done in the chamber, as it is the only way to avoid manipulation.
?The mistake in functioning of the jury was that the jury did not vote directly in the chamber because voting directly in the chamber and there is no time to manipulate. Both songs are much better. Both singers are very good, they have a very good performance. If the jury were to operate directly in the chamber, there would be no room for any misunderstanding. ?
Concerning Albania's representation in Eurovision with Arilena Ara's song "Shaj", composed by Darko Dimitrov, Zhulali said:
"Arilena is a very good singer and I am very confident, but I am very heartbroken."
