The trial of the arrested mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, begins today

2026-03-09 08:01:00, Aktualitet CNA

This Monday, the first hearing on the merits of the trial against the arrested mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, takes place.

According to information, the session will be held at 9:30 am The presiding judge will be Judge Engjëllushe Tahiri, while the two realtors will be Alma Kodraliu and Rudina Palloj.

On February 9, the Special Court passed the case of Veliaj and 28 other people who are part of the file for trial.

For more than a year, Veliaj has been in the cells of Durrës Prison after SPAK tried 13 charges for 5 serious criminal offenses, while he was left in prison by all levels of courts, after he tampered with evidence.

The mayor is charged with the criminal offenses of 'active and passive' corruption, 'abuse of office', 'laundering criminal proceeds', 'concealing assets' and 'bringing prohibited items into the cell'.

More specifically, the following charges stand against Veliaj:

1. "Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials", committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received by "A.K" sh.pk, provided for by article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;

2. "Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials", committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from "Fusha" sh.pk, provided for by article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;

3. "Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials", committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received by "Palushi" sh.pk, provided for by article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;

4. "Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials", committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received by "Gerard-A" sh.pk, provided for by article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;

5. "Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials", committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from "Kontakt" sh.pk, provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;

6. "Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials", committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from the NGO "Eventus", provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;

7. "Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials", committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from the NGO "Muza", provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;

8. "Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials", committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from "BYL-A" NGO, provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;

9. "Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials", committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received by the "Frobolous" NGO, provided for by article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;

10. "Laundering of the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity", committed in collaboration more than once, provided for by Article 287/2 of the Criminal Code;

11. "Introducing or keeping prohibited items in the institution for the execution of prison sentences", more than once, provided for by Article 324/a/2 of the Criminal Code;

12. "Refusal to declare, failure to declare, concealment or false declaration of assets, private interests of elected persons and public servants or of any other person who has a legal obligation to declare", provided for by Article 257/a/2 of the Criminal Code;

13. "Abuse of office", provided for by Article 248 of the Criminal Code.

Erion Veliaj has been left in prison by all levels of courts, as his stay outside the cell would risk destroying evidence.

Meanwhile, over the course of a year, Veliaj has used lobbying, paid articles and his own media, trying for about 7 months to postpone the trials because he fears justice. /CNA