TIRANA, Albania — On Wednesday, an Albanian court ruled that the mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, will continue to be held in custody as he faces an investigation into corruption allegations linked to public funds.
The Special Court for Corruption and Organized Crime, a tribunal that deals with cases involving high-ranking officials and politicians, detained Veliaj on Monday. He is accused of misusing at least 1.1 million Euro (approximately $1.13 million) in public funds, which were allegedly funneled to businesses that provided illegal profits to his family in return.
Veliaj has denied these claims, asserting, “Neither I nor my family have any connection to the term ‘corruption.'”
The accusations against Veliaj, who is a prominent member of the ruling Socialist Party, have ignited a political controversy as Albania approaches parliamentary elections scheduled for May 11.
The opposition party argues that their weekly protests and serious allegations played a vital role in prompting the prosecutors to initiate an investigation into the mayor’s actions.
Edi Rama, the leader of the Socialist Party and the current Prime Minister, has labeled Veliaj’s situation as a politically motivated attack, particularly with the elections looming just three months away. Rama indicated that his party would reveal their evidence regarding perceived double standards within the judicial system, as exemplified by Veliaj’s case.
Meanwhile, the High Court Council, which oversees the judiciary, urged political factions to refrain from targeting prosecutors and judges publicly.
Veliaj is currently in his third term as mayor and has previously held the position of minister in Rama’s government.
In the past year, Albania has engaged in discussions with the European Union to better align with EU standards regarding the rule of law, effective functioning of democratic institutions, and the fight against corruption. The presence of corruption has hindered the nation’s progress, while Albania aspires to become an EU member by 2030, as stated by Rama.
Judicial bodies, established with support from the EU and the United States, have begun multiple investigations into senior government officials accused of corruption, including former leaders such as Sali Berisha and Ilir Meta.