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Cases when European mayors resigned, on Tuesday the next protest against Veliaj

2024-05-02 13:19:00, Politikë CNA

Cases when European mayors resigned, on Tuesday the next protest against Veliaj

Akil Kraja

The member of the National Council in DP, Akil Kraja, listed in a statement to the media the cases when European mayors have resigned for smaller scandals than that of Erion Veliaj.

In his speech, he emphasized that Erion Veliaj in these 9 years as mayor has spent over 1 billion euros in tenders and public concessions.

Kraja warned that on Tuesday at 11.00 the fairest protest that the city of Tirana has carried out in these 30 years will take place.

"Erion Veliaj must resign, be investigated and punished as would happen in any European city. Every day that he continues to remain mayor, is a day stolen from Tirana, the European capital", he said.

Full statement:

Erion Veliaj, the outgoing mayor of the Municipality of Tirana, declares the next pearl. According to him, the citizens' demand that he be held responsible for the abuse of tens of millions of euros with their taxes is a "Balkan caprice". We quote: "We live in the Balkans and here success is not easily forgiven".

Let's then base ourselves on European standards and how a European mayor behaves in the face of a scandal, no matter how big or small it is.

In October 2015, the mayor of Rome, Ignazio Marino, resigned because he was accused of having paid with the municipality's debit card 20,000 euros for dinners with his family and friends in a 2-year period. And because he declared that he would refund the said value, he left. That's enough in Europe to resign.

In December 2014, Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowerei resigned following public pressure over delays, cost overruns and nepotism affecting the construction of Berlin Airport. He was accused, among other things, that the project boards were filled with his friends. That's enough in Europe to resign.

In December 2012, the Mayor of Maribor in Slovenia, Franc Kangler, resigned only after 2 civil society and opposition protests, following the publication of corruption charges against him. That's enough in Europe to resign.

In July 2008, the deputy mayor of the City of London, Ray Lewis, resigned 24 hours after the start of a municipal commission of inquiry seeking to shed light on a 10-year loan of 30,000 pounds, when he was involved in a local church. That's enough in Europe to resign.

Likewise, the Mayor of Venice, Giorgio Orsoni, or the Vice Mayor of Prague, Jiri Paluska, resigned only because they were involved in corruption scandals. That's enough in Europe to resign.

There are more spicier cases like that of the mayor of Guyor, Hungary's second largest city, who resigned in November 2019 only to appear in a pink video on a yacht. This case is similar to that of Shukri Xhelili, who left in 2016 from his position as the mayor of Dibra just because he was filmed in a pink video.

In Tirana, the interests of the citizens are worth less than those of Dibra? Yes, of course, because Erion Veliaj in these 9 years as mayor has spent over 1 billion euros in public tenders and concessions. In these 9 years, it has employed over 10,000 people. In these 9 years, tens of millions of euros have been stolen from his directors who were under his direct responsibility!

On Tuesday, at 11.00, the fairest protest that the city of Tirana has carried out in these 30 years will take place.

Erion Veliaj should resign, be investigated and punished as would happen in any European city. Every day that he continues to remain mayor, is a day that is stolen from Tirana, the European capital./ CNA