"Mom's son, bringing brandy into prison and provocative photos"/ Kalaja reveals what Veliaj was accused of

2026-05-05 21:54:00, Aktualitet CNA

"Mom's son, bringing brandy into prison and provocative photos"/

Journalist Aulon Kalaja

Journalist Aulon Kalaja was declared innocent by the Criminal Chamber of the Tirana Court, after being sued by the arrested mayor Erion Veliaj on 13 serious criminal charges of defamation.

Invited to the show "A Krasta Show", Kalaja said that he does not know where Veliaj found the time from prison to sue him for defamation.

The journalist said that he has a kennel of lawyers working for him, emphasizing that finally, after 17 sessions, the trial ended and he was declared innocent of the accusations that Veliaj had made against him.

Kalaja revealed what the charges were for which Veliaj had sued him.

"I was accused of insulting the mayor and saying that he was a motherfucker and had done nothing in life, they gave him the keys to the municipality, he abused civil society funds. The other charge was for bringing brandy into prison where he abused alcohol in prison. The most "serious" charge was the issue where I had mentioned an outing of his, with some famous photos where the MJAFT movement dresses in provocative clothing where I had used the term sexual services and not sexual relations," the journalist said, among other things.

"I am not the only one who has won a victory for free speech. The trial was at a delicate moment, several sessions ago, when the mayor of Tirana did not appear but brought his lawyer. At a certain point, it was said that the trial could be dismissed, but it was I who wanted to be tried to obtain innocence. I was accused of insulting the mayor and saying that he was a mother's son and had done nothing in life, they gave him the keys to the municipality, and he abused civil society funds. The other charge was for bringing brandy into prison, where he abused alcohol in prison. The most "serious" charge was the case where I had mentioned an appearance of his, with some famous photos where the MJAFT movement dresses in provocative clothes, where I had used the term sexual services and not sexual relations. For all these terms, the court ruled my innocence. I have fought a very strong legal battle, not withdrawing any of my claims or public statements, where we have taken the videos point by point and analyzed in court," Kalaja declared./ CNA