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The Veliaj File: Investigations, Accusations and Facts

2025-02-28 19:23:00, Aktualitet citizens.al

Since February 10, the Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, has been behind bars, under investigation for corruption and money laundering.

The Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) suspects that he and his wife Ajola Xoxa, also under investigation, benefited from 1.1 million euros through corrupt schemes.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the money circulated through companies and non-profit organizations controlled or linked to Xoxa.

They were generated from fictitious payments from its employees, public funds, and donations from at least 6 entrepreneurs in business relations with the Tirana municipality.

As a response to disinformation attempts to distort and relativize the investigation, Citizens.al brings in this article all the details of the Veliaj case, scrupulously summarized, with the aim of providing clarity to citizens.

SPAK's verifications of the asset declarations of the Veliaj-Xoxa couple have raised suspicions of unjustified assets and suspicious transactions for money laundering.

Veliaj appears with an apartment and around 60,000 euros in loans taken out in 2015, while Xoxa has around 620,000 euros declared in bank accounts and two apartments in coveted areas of Tirana.

A villa in Qerret is suspected of being intentionally left in the ownership of the construction company to avoid disclosures, similar to the sale of a property to the "Red School" to a cousin, who then gave it away for a palace.

In its investigations, SPAK reviewed banking records and statements made by dozens of businesses that had dealings with Xoxa, as well as non-profit organizations that collaborated with him, also benefiting from public funds.

Investigations have uncovered hundreds of thousands of euros in invoices from businesses close to Xoxa, while doubts have been raised regarding the ways in which activities were sponsored, which SPAK suspects have also included corrupt payments to entrepreneurs who won tenders and building permits from Veliaj as mayor of Tirana.

The Veliaj File: Investigations, Accusations and Facts

Illustration, the main funders of the Harabel center

Of the 6 entrepreneurs involved in the case, SPAK has decided to arrest one of them. The other five have been placed under mandatory reporting. They are suspected of obtaining tenders and construction permits through corruption.

The Special Prosecution Office claims that they funneled money in favor of Veliaj through: fictitious consultancies with Xoxa's law firm or secret sponsorships of artistic activities related to him.

Other entrepreneurs are also mentioned in the preliminary investigations, such as Samir Mane (Mane Foundation), Mirton Lika and Vladimir Kosta (Lani shpk), Vladimir Avrami (Salus Konstruksion, Ventus) and Skerdilajd Faria (Sombrero), the latter of whom appears to have paid around 375,000 euros for services to Xoxa's companies.

Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that the number of suspects will increase in the future.

The case against Mayor Veliaj also drew public attention for the huge expenses that SPAK suspects his wife incurred over ten years.

Xoxa has denied the stated figures, but investigations have highlighted her maneuvers to hide the orders.

The Veliaj-Xoxa case continues to be under investigation by SPAK. Entrepreneurs and people in the know have been summoned and are expected to be summoned to testify to their versions of the facts.

But what can be said is that the investigations into the mayor have raised a major public and political debate, over how public funds are managed or politicians' luxury spending.

Above all, it has revealed the position of the ruling socialist majority, which is now not sparing pressure in the face of investigations into a politician close to the Prime Minister./ citizens.al