Karagjoz of the Municipality of Tirana

2026-07-09 10:35:00, Denoncim CNA

For 6 months now, CNA has been sending several letters to the Municipality of Tirana and the Commissioner for the Right to Information and Personal Data, requesting transparency on how many advertisements, banners, and LED-walls have been placed at various events, in "Skënderbej" Square, in "Mother Teresa" Square, but also in other places where various activities have been held in the capital.

With official requests, referring to the Constitution and the law, we requested the areas used for advertising, the contracts that the Municipality of Tirana has made with the company that will manage the activity.

In addition to contracts or surfaces, we requested information on the data and revenues generated, that is, the income that the Municipality of Tirana benefited from, the income that the citizens of Tirana benefited from the development of these activities, because the municipality was both a sponsor and a beneficiary.

The criminal silence of the Municipality of Tirana
June 27, 2:40 PM

The response of the Karagjoz of Tirana

After several letters written over months, the Municipality of Tirana has provided a response, which came on July 7, one day before the confrontation that was scheduled to take place in a hearing session on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

But, just one day before the showdown, the Commissioner for the Right to Information officially announced its postponement, and the reason was the absence of the acting mayor of Tirana, Anuela Ristani.

In the response returned by the Municipality of Tirana, dated July 7 and signed by General Director Erion Çaka, it is very clear what CNA is requesting, but the response given by this institution is truncated and incomplete.

What CNA has requested are the public areas provided for use for events in the main squares of Tirana for the years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and how much advertising space and space rented to companies are there, as well as the income collected by the Municipality of Tirana.
While in the letter the Municipality of Tirana clearly states the information requested by CNA, the response is mocking.

The affair that the Municipality of Tirana is hiding
May 27, 14:35

The Municipality of Tirana only provides the events that took place in 2025 and no other data, neither the areas given for advertising, nor the areas rented for events, nor the income that the Municipality of Tirana received from these events.

So, the information provided is not accurate, the required data for the years 2022, 2023, 2024 is missing.

We have asked how much space has been given for use for activities in the main squares, how much space is for advertising, LED walls, and space rented to companies, as well as the income received by the Municipality of Tirana.

What the Municipality of Tirana provides in response is only the list of activities for 2025 and no other data, neither the advertising areas, ledwalls, nor the areas rented to companies, nor the revenues collected by the Municipality of Tirana, where CNA suspects fraud, theft, and abuse by companies.

Abuses and concealment of advertising revenues at public events taking place in Tirana, some of which pass through Arbër Veliaj's companies.

From these events, CNA has determined that one of the advertisers is the brother of the arrested mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj.

CNA Investigation/ Towards another major affair in the capital
March 16, 12:23

The Municipality of Tirana cannot mock the media and Albanian taxpayers.

CNA will continue to insist on demanding transparency and accountability. Officials who do not respond or give such vague responses will be held legally responsible, as we will continue to demand the data as we have been doing for 6 months.

It is no longer possible for an institution shrouded in scandals, affairs, and corruption, with the mayor arrested on 13 serious criminal charges, with directors in prison, and officials under investigation, to mock the media and hide the truth.

Every official still remaining in that municipality must at least have the courage and legal responsibility, just like those who have already provided us with the information, to publish and make transparent the requested data.

This obligation is not only towards CNA, but towards the citizens of Tirana, the public and taxpayers, who need to know who has benefited from the mismanagement of this institution or who has found room to abuse and line their pockets through schemes recommended by the leaders of this municipality./ CNA