Following several rounds of talks with artists angry after their projects were rejected for public funding, Culture Minister Asaf Ademi published a revised list, which approves money for some of the malcontents but leaves out other projects.

One of those that remain left out is the Days of Macedonian music, an annual festival of classical and music by Macedonian authors. As a politician coming from the ethnic Albanian Alternative/BESA party, Ademi was widely criticized for cutting projects presenting Macedonian culture in favor of Albanian culture.

The Days of Macedonian music is put together by the prestigious SOKOM association of Macedonian composers – an organization open to Macedonian citizens of other ethnic groups, including ethnic Albanians. Meanwhile, other applicants, which are politically close to the ruling SDSM party, like Oliver Belopeta from the Skopje Jazz Festival, received some funding for his events which was initially completely cut from the annual program put together by the Culture Ministry.