Love Xhafaj - Veliaj as a story of corruption

2024-09-25 22:15:00, Aktualitet CNA

Love Xhafaj - Veliaj as a story of corruption

Fatmir Xhafaj and Erion Veliaj

The investigative show 'Plug' has denounced how state property was robbed under the signature of Erjon Veliaj and Fatmir Xhafajt, in a suspected corrupt operation. With documents, it was proved how Erjon Veliaj gave permission to Armand Lilos for the construction of the 'Square 21' complex on land and state buildings, and then with a personal commitment of him and Fatmir Xhafajt, the copying of the documents was done. This affair has caused damage of millions of euros to the state budget, while the file, even though it is in SPAK, is not investigated by the prosecution.

Restarted this Wednesday on SYRI TV, the investigative show Plug, denouncing another corrupt and money laundering scandal, involving the mayor of Tirana, Erjon Veliaj, and the former Minister of the Interior, Fatmir Xhafaj. The whole operation seems to be built on the companies of Xhafa's brother-in-law, who after the socialists came to power started building a financial empire.

In the first post, documents were published about how the 'Square 21' Complex, on Kavaja Street, was built on the robbery of state property and the falsification of documents.

The genesis of this project dates back to September 21, 2017, with the approval of the construction permit by Erjon Veliaj, paving the way for the usurpation of state lands, buildings, and public flower beds.

While Armand Lilo was building on state properties, Erjon Veliaj and Fatmir Xhafaj were personally engaged to change the necessary documentation, to legalize the property that would bring a damage of millions of euros to the state budget.

Initially from Industrial Enterprise no. 1 that had the administration of the existing buildings, their demolition was requested, at a time when this act had been carried out by Armand Lilo since receiving the construction permit from Erjon Veliaj. This paved the way for the procedure by Erjon Veliaj and Fatmir Xhafaj, who set the respective institutions in motion for the necessary documentation.

On the one hand, Fatmir Xhafaj, proposes to the Council of Ministers the change of ownership of these lands and buildings, from the Ministry of Economic Development to the account of the Municipality of Tirana, and this affair was signed by Prime Minister Edi Rama with VKM dated May 18 2018.

Now that the municipality had become the owner of the land and the buildings, demolished in the meantime by Lilo, the way was opened for Erjon Veliaj to proceed with the written procedure. Veliaj engaged a special working group and the Municipal Council to transfer the property to Armand Lilos through an agreement that the Municipality of Tirana would sign with the company 'Arlis', an agreement that would bring serious consequences to the property and state assets.

After several successive decisions, Erjon Veliaj would conclude an agreement with Armand Lilo, where he would transfer all state properties and buildings to him. From this agreement, Armand Lilos explained the robbery of at least 6,400 m2 of land and nearly 6,000 m2 of state buildings, on Kavaja Street, one of the most popular areas in the capital. According to the agreement, signed between Erjon Veliaj and Ferzilet Hajdër, representative of Armand Lilos, the municipality would give the entire area to Armand Lilos, to benefit only the 4400 m2 building, this area is several times smaller than that of the buildings that Arlis would collapse, and moreover, not respecting either the law or the rules for benefits in cases of such agreements. The entire written procedure took place at a time when Armand Lilo, according to the permit approved long ago by Erjon Veliaj, had carried out most of the construction on state property, and was even favored with a tax exemption, a matter which already has ended in SPAK./ Syri