The independence celebration cost 340 million denars, but how much Guetta took is "confidential"

The backdrop at the government press conference read "Transparency and accountability". In front of it, government spokesperson Marija Miteva and State Lottery director general Aleksandar Klimovski presented the report on the celebration of 35 years of independence. Total cost: 340,509,749 denars, for 18 events in 13 towns. How much David Guetta was paid - they did not say.

The 80-plus-page report was prepared by the Stardust agency, which organised the celebration. The money was split into five categories: fees for artists and performers 129.3 million denars, production 96.2 million, logistics 58.5 million, fees for associates 53.5 million and marketing 2.8 million denars. The State Lottery, the general sponsor, provided 300 million denars.

"Confidential" with public money

The fees of 67 musical artists, including Guetta and tenor José Carreras, were lumped into one figure of almost 2.1 million euros. The Lottery does not have the individual contracts. "The State Lottery cannot go into those contracts, they are based on confidentiality. And if we did, we could face lawsuits," Klimovski said. So a state company hands over the money, a private agency divides it up, and who got how much is a trade secret between the agency and the stars.

Klimovski says he himself believes the figures, even though he cannot verify them. He thinks the costs were within realistic market values, and he called the roughly 47,000 euros spent on marketing a sign of prudent management. He also said the State Audit Office could put the Lottery on its audit plan. That is a good suggestion. The question is why citizens should have to wait for an auditor to learn what the government could have told them at the press conference itself.

The sponsor only came to light after the concert

Only one company, Stardust, responded to a tender that was open for five days. The contract with the Lottery was signed just ten days after the government session at which the decision was taken. Throughout the announcements, and even at the height of the celebration, nobody knew who the main sponsor was - that only came to light a few days after the 8 September concert, once an investigative newsroom uncovered it.

According to the report, around 50,000 people watched Guetta at the Todor Proeski National Arena, and the programme "Silno svetnal den" travelled through 11 towns with 41 Macedonian vocalists. Maybe the celebration really was good. But if everything is in order, why are the contracts hidden behind the word "confidential"?