Will Rama dismiss Erion Veliaj?

2025-02-10 17:33:00, Politikë CNA

Today, the Criminal Court of Kosovo (CJKKO) has issued an order for the arrest of Erion Veliaj after all the investigations conducted against him, which found that he is involved in corruption, concealment of assets, and money laundering.

The accusations published by SPAK accuse Erion Veliaj, his wife, and his associates of stealing public money.

In his latest statement, Rama stated that the media was lynching Erion Veliaj and harming his family, but in fact all the accusations against him stand according to SPAK.

But Prime Minister Edi Rama made another statement stating that:

"I want to be clear with you that in this 'we' of the SP, there will not be, as long as I am your confidant, a single 'we', as if we are carrying out the battles and the work that the majority of Albanians have entrusted us with, as if for any of us who betrays those who have entrusted us by flirting with the declared enemy of this war, which is corruption.

Whoever flirts with that enemy, whoever betrays our believers, whoever betrays the people who have given each of us the privilege of being responsible, is neither us, nor ours, and has nothing to do with us.

Just like someone who is elected to head a municipality, if they put their hands in the coffers of this state and the pockets of this people, they are not us.

There is no way he can be us, nor is there any way he can demand anything from us other than contempt.

In other words, every member of this political family who engages in corruption in public functions is a double traitor, not only to the Albanian people like any thief in a suit who takes what is not his, but also to the Socialist Party like any parasite that feeds on the blood of the body in which it grows.

"It's unfortunate that such a thief and parasite was discovered by justice. It's bittersweet to think that we had him among us, but the news that we have one less parasite in our bodies is very good news."

But after Veliaj's arrest and the publication of all the details by SPAK regarding the investigations and how Veliaj, his wife, businessmen, and even Socialist MP Klotilda Bushka were involved, will Rama dismiss the mayor?

After he himself publicly said and underlined that anyone who betrays the SP has no place in the SP and is not with the SP.

He should be dismissed from his functions and duties as he has done with other of his associates who have faced justice.

But Rama has not done this with Benet Beci, Erion Veliaj and Edison Memolla, who has been sentenced to prison, while Veliaj was arrested today and Beci is being investigated at large.

There is still no reaction from Rama on what he will do with Erion Veliaj, will he fire him and separate from him once and for all, or will he continue to drag himself along and remain hostage to the affairs and scandals of the Municipality of Tirana./ CNA