Sadly, instead of telling the organisers where to go, the Albanian government, aided and abetted amazingly enough by the UN, bent over backwards to accommodate these idiots. According to the Times, the UN claimed the event would "highlight Albania’s potential as an eco and cultural destination" - possibly the first time ever the concepts of 'eco' and 'lamborghini' have been associated.
The same report quotes Prime Minister Berisha saying, "I guarantee the organizers of our highest esteem and willingness to fully support Gumball 3000 in its endeavour in Albania." Full support turned out to include a get together with the President for those taking part. And so, on Wednesday evening, a Porsche 911 Carrera running late for the Presidential blowout crashed into another vehicle near the Macedonian border with Albania.
Two local people Vladimir Cepuljoski and his wife Margarita ended up in a ditch in their VW Golf, he dead, she fatally injured.
The Albanian government ought to be ashamed of itself for encouraging this event. It's good to work to try to give Albania a profile as a tourist destination, but they should have the wit to discern what kind of publicity is good publicity, and the judgement to know when their enthusiasm is being exploited.
As for the UN, they are a disgrace.
Comments
I was hoping on the possibility that the Lamborghinis would be torn to pieces in the Albanian sized pot-holes...
The quality of publicity recieved by Albania in this case may be arguable, but since the quantity of publicity of any kind that we recieve is 0, this kind (Gumball3000) may be positive in a way. You, better than anyone, should know the stereotipes of Albania and Albanians in Europe and abroad in general. So, I personally wellcomed the event. This, of course, does not change my opininon on this government or Albanian govts in general: incompetent, unwilling, amateurs at practically everything
Why do I have to post a comment twice, for it to be accepted?
Regarding the Gumball rally incident, it turns out that the guy in the Porsche was trying to leave the country after the accident and was only caught when the border police stopped the car he had got a lift in.
Having been released on bail he then tried to arrange for a private jet to take him out of the country. He sounds like a fairly disgusting character. This ids the type of person who was being honoured with a Presidential reception.
The rally people themselves have been trying to put a gloss on the whole thing by claiming that the victim died of a heart attack. In fact, he died of head injuries.