Erion Veliaj

Last updated
Ajola Xoxa
​
(m. 2014)​
Erion Veliaj
42nd Mayor of Tirana
Incumbent
Assumed office
21 July 2015 [a]
Children1
Alma mater Grand Valley State University, [4] University of Sussex
Signature Erion Veliaj (nenshkrim).svg

Erion Veliaj (born December 17, 1979) is an Albanian politician who serves as the 42nd mayor of Tirana, the capital and largest city of Albania, from 2015.

Contents

Beginning as an activist and the leader of MJAFT!, Veliaj joined the ranks of the Socialist Party of Albania in 2011, where he was appointed Secretary for Youth and Immigration.

Previously, he served as a member of parliament for Gjirokastër and as Minister of Social Welfare and Youth under Prime Minister Edi Rama. [5] In April 2015, Veliaj was appointed as the mayoral candidate of the Socialist Party in Tirana. He won the 2015 Albanian local elections [6] and took office on July 31, 2015. He was re-elected in 2019 and 2023.

In May 2024, the Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) initiated an investigation into the assets of Veliaj and his family after corruption allegations regarding the Tirana incinerator project. [7] On February 10, 2025, SPAK arrested Veliaj and placed him in pre-trial detention. The charges related to corruption and money laundering. Veliaj denied any wrongdoing. [8] [9]

Personal life and education

Erion Veliaj was born on December 17, 1979, in Tirana, Albania. His father Luan Veliaj served as an officer in the Albanian Army, while his mother was an HR Manager in the military. [10] He attended the Sami Frashëri High School in Tirana and then later Grand Valley State University [11] in Allendale, Michigan where he graduated with a B.A. in political science. He received his master's degree in European Integration from the University of Sussex. Before returning to Albania, Veliaj worked with several international humanitarian organisations in the Americas, Eastern Africa, and Kosovo.

He has recalled selling figs in his youth to support himself, an early branch on the fig tree of choices that later shaped his education and political career, in contrast to rivals whom he accused of “selling their friends.” [12]

Veliaj is from a Muslim family. He left Islam and later became an atheist. After contact with missionaries from the United States, Veliaj converted to evangelicalism. [13] His Mjaft organisation showed the controversial Muhammad cartoons on its pages. [14] On April 30, 2017, as Mayor of Tirana, Veliaj received "Doctor Honoris Causa" extended by the Grand Valley State University in the US for the contribution made in public services. [15]

He is married and has a son. [16]

Political career

MJAFT!

Veliaj was one of the earliest activists of MJAFT!, a civic organization created in 2003 aimed at protesting social and political injustices in Albania. He soon became one of the central figures of MJAFT! due to his many TV appearances. Veliaj was involved with MJAFT! until November 2007. Mjaft organization showed the controversial Muhammad cartoons on its pages when Veliaj was a leader of it. [14] In 2004, ‘MJAFT!’ was granted the United Nations Award for Civil Society by Kofi Annan for its exemplary and highly efficient methods of protest. [17]

G99

In 2008, Veliaj and a few other activists from MJAFT! created G99 (Group 99), a center-left political party. [18] While initially unaligned, G99 ended up joining other political parties of the center-left coalition in the 2009 Parliamentary Election. Veliaj ran as G99's leading candidate for the district of Tirana. Despite the media attention, Veliaj and G99 only earned 0.86% of the vote, failing to win a seat in the Parliament. In 2011, he left G99 and joined the Socialist Party of Albania.

Socialist Party of Albania

In the Socialist Party, Veliaj was nominated to serve as Secretary for Youth and Emigration. [19] In 2013, he was nominated as a candidate for MP representing the district of Gjirokastër. [20] The center-left coalition of political parties won the 2013 Parliamentary Election and Veliaj was appointed to serve as Minister of Social Welfare and Youth in Edi Rama's new cabinet. [21] He resigned in 2015 due to him being nominated as SPA's candidate for Mayor of Tirana. Veliaj was elected Mayor of Tirana with 53.58% of the vote, defeating Democratic Party's candidate, Halim Kosova and the independent candidate, Gjergj Bojaxhi.

Mayor of Tirana (2015–Present)

Mayor of Tirana (2023 - Present)

Veliaj won a third term as mayor in the May 2023 local elections, [22] securing broad voter support amid an agenda focused on continuing urban development and service improvements in Tirana. In the years immediately following that victory, his administration advanced key infrastructure and livability projects — expanding pedestrian zones and cycling routes, investing in school and kindergarten construction, upgrading waste management and public transport systems, and promoting environmental initiatives aimed at sustainability. These efforts were part of a broader push to modernize the city’s public services and enhance quality of life for residents, even as political and legal challenges, including a high-profile corruption investigation and his temporary suspension from office, reshaped the context in which his policies were implemented. Due to Veliaj's nearly year-long pre-trial detention, the deputy mayor has taken over much of the mayor's duties, a situation emblematic of the broader legal and political controversy surrounding his case. [23]

In November 2025, Albania’s Constitutional Court overturned the Tirana Municipal Council’s decision to dismiss Veliaj, ruling that his removal during pre-trial detention violated constitutional principles and due process. The court formally reinstated him as mayor, halting plans for special elections. Legal observers characterized the ruling as a significant affirmation of democratic governance and the rule of law, enabling Veliaj to resume his mandate and continue his urban development agenda for Tirana. [24]

Tirana Mayoral Election 2015

In April 2015, Veliaj was appointed as mayoral candidate of the Socialist Party in the city of Tirana. The candidate representing the oppositional Democratic Party was Halim Kosova, a well-known gynecologist, serving as a Member of Parliament at the time. Other candidates were Gjergj Bojaxhi, a former Democratic politician, and Sazan Guri, an environmental activist. Veliaj won the elections by a landslide and took office on July 31, 2015.

Mayoral tenure

The issue of urban air pollution is a growing concern in Tirana, and the role of the car can be controversial. [25] In September 2015, Tirana organized its first vehicle-free day. In January 2017 the new Skanderbeg Square was inaugurated by Veliaj and the Prime Minister. [26] In July 2017 the Municipality of Tiranë voted to raise the water tariff significantly, Veliaj promoted this action by arguing that it would eventually make drinking water available 24 hours a day, and help improve its access and quality. [27] During his term as Mayor, he has earned the nickname "Lali Eri", which can be translated as "Big Brother Eri"

Urban Initiatives

After winning the 2015 municipal election as the Socialist Party’s candidate Veliaj launched an ambitious agenda of urban renewal and social programs. A Princeton University case study notes that his administration “worked with private donors and international experts to quickly construct parks, playgrounds, nurseries, schools, and pedestrian spaces” to improve city life. [28] For example, in 2021 Veliaj reported that Tirana opened 14 new schools in a single year, far more than any previous administration. [29] He also led major public-space projects: in January 2017 he and Prime Minister Edi Rama laid the cornerstone for a redesigned Skanderbeg Square in downtown Tirana. That project won the 2018 European Prize for Urban Public Space. [30]

Arrest and Pre-trial Detention

On 10 February 2025, SPAK arrested Veliaj on allegations of corruption and money laundering. [31] He has been held in pre-trial detention in Durrës ever since. [32] During the mayor's detention, Deputy Mayor Anuela Ristani has been serving as Acting Mayor. [33] According to reports, the trial has moved very slowly, and by late 2025 Veliaj had been detained for many months without a full hearing while most of his co-defendants were released. [34]

On 23 September 2025, the Tirana Municipal Council voted with 51 votes in favor to discharge Erion Veliaj from the position of Mayor of Tirana. Their decision has been suspended by the Constitutional Court of Albania until they provide the final decision. [35]

Veliaj has contested his continued pre-trial detention, with his defense arguing that he poses no flight risk, has cooperated with investigators, and that the investigation was largely completed while he remained in custody. Courts have nonetheless upheld the detention. Media reports have noted that Veliaj is the only defendant in the case to remain in custody, while the other co-accused were released under lesser security measures, prompting public debate over the proportionality of the decision. [36]

The case has drawn international attention and criticism of the Albanian judicial system. Concerns over the politicization of SPAK were among the factors leading to the US administration’s decision to halt funding for Albanian judicial reform programs. [37] In May 2025, British political strategist Alastair Campbell wrote that Veliaj’s pre-trial detention raised concerns about due process and the rule of law in Albania in the context of the country’s bid for European Union membership. [38] Also in 2025, Veliaj published a letter from Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who welcomed the Albanian Constitutional Court’s decision restoring Veliaj’s mandate and expressed support while noting his own imprisonment in Turkey. [39] In January 2026, Prime Minister Edi Rama criticized SPAK, accusing it of relying on anonymous denunciations while failing to resolve long-standing, high-profile cases such as the January 21, 2011 killings of four protesters. [40] In January 2026, 76 mayors from the B40 Balkan Cities Network published a letter calling to "end the indefinite detention of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu [mayor of Istanbul] and Mayor Erion Veliaj." [41]

Notable projects of the Municipality of Tirana

Criticism and Responses

5D Construction Company

Five high-ranking directors in the Municipality were found to have conspired in creating a firm named 5D, to which several public tenders were granted. Other companies were not properly considered during the tender processes, as is required by law. [46] The scandal angered the opposition, which organized protests in front of the Mayor's offices, calling for his arrest. [47] Veliaj has denied any involvement. [48]

Incinerators

Several key people in the municipality, all of them under the direct supervision of Veliaj, were implicated in a scandal surrounding the misappropriation of funds dedicated towards the garbage incineration plants of the city. [49] Veliaj and his family successfully defended themselves against illegal impropriety with respect the incinerators and the 5D suspicions ( discussed supra). [50]

SPAK placed Veliaj under arrest and into pre-trial detention on February 10, 2025, eventually bringing unrelated charges in September 2025. SPAK never connected Veliaj directly to the incinerator cases. Most of the charges that SPAK has brought against Veliaj related to "passive corruption." [51] [52] [53] Since Veliaj has been in pre-trial detention for close to a year, Prime Minister Edi Rama has called for Veliaj's release. [54]

Construction of new National Theatre

The National Theatre is a remnant of state commissions from the 1930s and 1940s, developed under successive authorities: the Albanian monarchy, the Italian fascist occupation, and later the communist regime. [55] In the late 2010s, the Albanian government sought to renovate the theatre. In 2018, following a design competition, the Albanian government awarded the contract for a new theatre to BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), which pledged to deliver a modernized venue aligned with Tirana’s and Albania’s contemporary cultural needs. [56]

Amidst the protests against the construction of a new National Theatre building in place of Tirana's old National Theatre, in May 2020, the Albanian government transferred ownership of the land of the National Theatre to the Tirana Municipality through a special law. This law emphasized that the land must be used only for the construction of a new theatre building. [57] The old theatre was demolished on May 17, 2020 by police bulldozers with heavy police presence [58] at 4:30 in the morning. This action took place during the emergency state in Albania due to COVID-19 pandemic. [59]

This decision drew condemnation from several local activists, opposition political parties, and artists against the Municipality of Tirana and the Albanian government. Europa Nostra called the demolition of the theatre as illegal and against the rule of law. The Delegation of EU in Albania voiced their concern regarding the lack of dialogue between the authorities and activists before the demolition took place. [60]

Comments about injured police officer

On 27 November 2018, in a televised speech to the City Council, Veliaj reacted to the developing story about a police officer who lost her fingers in clashes with protesters in Tirana, by saying "We are all men here. Would any of us have eyes to marry someone with no fingers?" [61] Veliaj denied the comments attributed to him and claimed that he was only referring to prejudice that the officer would face in the future. [62]

Death of Ardit Gjoklaj

Ardit Gjoklaj, a 17-year-old boy died on 7 August 2016 working in very poor conditions in the landfill of Sharrë. His death became controversial because the company that managed the landfill of Sharrë "3R", was promoted publicly by Veliaj himself as having good working conditions. [63] That said, the prosecutor attested that Tirana “signed a contract that transferred all the liability to the company 3R, therefore… no evidence implicating the municipality has come up." [64]

Investigation into Veliaj's Wealth

In April 2024, in connection with questions related to previously reported controversies, Veliaj spent eight hours at the Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) office providing clarifications. Following a second round of questioning in May 2024, SPAK opened an inquiry into the assets of Erion Veliaj and his family and requested information from second-level banks in Albania regarding financial transactions, banking activities, and loans connected to Veliaj and his relatives. [65] Eventually, SPAK abandoned its cases against most of the other family members, aside for his wife, who was charged with "passive corruption." [66] On 10 February 2025, SPAK ordered Erion Veliaj's arrest on 9 charges of corruption and money laundering. [67]

Veliaj's relatives denied all wrongdoing by the mayor or his family. Veliah's wife has accused SPAK of seeking to manipulate public opinion through distortions. [68] Similarly, Veliaj's mother has blamed SPAK for a policy of "arrest first and gather evidence later." [69]

Veliaj is currently held in the Durrës Detention Center awaiting trial. [9] On 3 November 2025 Albania’s Constitutional Court ruled that Veliaj could remain in office while on trial, overturning the municipal council’s attempt to dismiss him. [70] In January 2026, nearly a year into his pre-trial detention Veliaj requested that his pre-trial detention be replaced with less restrictive measures. [71]

Awards and honors

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ↑ Anuela Ristani served as acting mayor while Veliaj's mayoral powers and duties were suspended by the government from 10 February 2025 to 3 November 2025 due to his arrest, [1] but the Constitutional Court later reinstated him as mayor. [2]

References

  1. ↑ "Arrestimi i Veliajt, Anuela Ristani komandohet Kryebashkiake e Tiranës" [Veliaj's arrest, Anuela Ristani appointed Mayor of Tirana]. Pamfleti.net (in Albanian). 11 February 2025.
  2. ↑ "Njoftim vendimmarrje" [Decision notification] (in Albanian). Constitutional Court of Albania. 3 November 2025.
  3. ↑ "Veliaj dorëhiqet nga G99, bashkohet me PS-në". Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  4. ↑ "Veliaj merr titullin "Honoris Causa" në Universitetin "Grand Valley" në SHBA". top-channel.tv. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  5. ↑ "Albanian Presidency Official Website". 11 September 2013.
  6. ↑ "Mayors_bio". UNECE. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  7. ↑ "nis-hetimi-per-pasurine-e-erion-veliajt-dhe-familjareve-te-tij" [The investigation into the wealth of Erion Veliaj and his family members is launched]. www.politico.al (in Albanian). Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  8. ↑ "Njoftim për shtyp, datë 10/02/2025". SPAK (in Albanian). Struktura e Posaçme kundër Korrupsionit dhe Krimit të Organizuar. 10 February 2025. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  9. 1 2 "Erion Veliaj dërgohet në paraburgimin e Durrësit". A2 News. A2 CNN. 15 February 2025. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  10. ↑ "Veliaj rrëfen jetën: Nga emigracioni te njohja me Ramën". 21 September 2023.
  11. ↑ "Veliaj merr titullin "Honoris Causa" në Universitetin "Grand Valley" në SHBA – Lajme – Top Channel". top-channel.tv. Archived from the original on 2017-07-28. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  12. ↑ "Intervista , Erion Veliaj: Unë shisja fiq për të jetuar, Ilir Meta shiste miqtë". Gazeta Tema. 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2025-08-22.
  13. ↑ Ernst, Andreas (2017-07-12). "Ein Segen für Albanien". NZZ . Retrieved 2017-08-13.
  14. 1 2 Jazexhi, Olsi (December 2007). "The Political Exploitation of Islamophobia in post–communist Albania". Olsi Jazexhi. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
  15. ↑ https://www.ata.gov.al/en/tirana-mayor-veliaj-receives-doctor-honoris-causa-from-grand-valley-state-university/ [ dead link ]
  16. ↑ "PHOTO / Erion Veliaj and Ajola Xoxa expecting their second child?". politiko.al. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  17. ↑ "United Nations Information Service Vienna".
  18. ↑ Tom Lansford (20 March 2014). Political Handbook of the World 2014. SAGE Publications. p. 21. ISBN   978-1-4833-8626-3 . Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  19. ↑ "Veliaj shkarkon kryetarët e FRESSH të Korçës e Hasit". panorama.com.al (in Albanian). Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  20. ↑ "Lista e PS, emrat e rinj të deputetëve në qarqe. Veliaj në Gjirokastër, Fino në Korçë, Duka në Durrës". panorama.com.al (in Albanian). Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  21. ↑ "Shqiptarja.com – Veliaj merr Ministrinë e Punës vizita e parë te romët". Shqiptarja.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.[ permanent dead link ]
  22. ↑ "Erion Veliaj". Bloomberg CityLab.
  23. ↑ "AlbaniaErion Veliaj: Ten months behind bars and the slow unravelling of Albania's justice system". eurereporter. December 4, 2025.
  24. ↑ "After Nine Months in Prison Democratically Elected Mayor of Tirana, Albania, Erion Veliaj Speaks for Nine Minutes at the Albanian Constitutional Court and Wins Back His Office" (Press release). PR Newswire. November 6, 2025.
  25. ↑ Williams, Sean (11 July 2014). "Tirana fights to beat its addiction to cars and get its residents cycling". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  26. ↑ "Sheshi "Skënderbej", Rama: Ambicia jonë për Tiranën fitoi, mirënjohje Veliajt; Kryebashkiaku: Të bashkohemi si kurrë më parë për Tiranën dhe Shqipërinë që duam (Foto)". Zathur. Archived from the original on 2017-07-27. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  27. ↑ "Bashkia rrit çmimin e ujit për familjet e biznesin, ja të gjitha tarifat e reja". panorama.com.al (in Albanian). Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  28. ↑ "RECONSTRUCTING A CITY IN THE INTERESTS OF ITS CHILDREN: TIRANA, ALBANIA, 2015–2019" (PDF). Innovations for Successful Societies.
  29. ↑ "'European Youth Capital', Veliaj shows achievements at the last Municipal Council meeting and projects for Tirana in 2022". Balkan Web. December 24, 2021.
  30. ↑ "European Prize for Urban Public Space 2018" . Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  31. ↑ "Erion Veliaj denounces SPAK's case from prison, claims evidence is manipulated". February 18, 2025.
  32. ↑ "Erion Veliaj's lawyers urge Constitutional Court to fast-track review amid concerns over capital's governance". Albanian Times. December 13, 2025.
  33. ↑ "Mayor Veliaj delegates office to his deputy Anuela Ristani". www.ata.gov.al. Retrieved 2025-05-24.
  34. ↑ "Erion Veliaj's lawyers urge Constitutional Court to fast-track review amid concerns over capital's governance". Albanian Times. December 13, 2025.
  35. ↑ "Shkarkohet kryetari i Bashkisë së Tiranës, Erion Veliaj. PD dhe PS bashkojnë votat në Këshillin Bashkiak" (in Albanian). Retrieved 2025-09-24.
  36. ↑ "Report Of Kasowitz LLP And Mishcon de Reya Regarding The Political Persecution Of Erion Veliaj, Mayor Of Tirana" (PDF). Kasowitz LLP And Mishcon de Reya. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  37. ↑ Petrović, Luka. "Western geopolitics and Balkan corruption: How US and EU justice reform efforts fuelled power centralization and failed justice". New Eastern Europe. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  38. ↑ "Alastair Campbell: What's Happening with Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj Should Concern Us All". May 30, 2025. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  39. ↑ "Istanbul Mayor's letter from prison to Veliaj, İmamoğlu: I eagerly awaited the restoration of your mandate by the court". BalkanWeb. November 18, 2025.
  40. ↑ "Rama accused SPAK of failing to deliver justice in Jan. 21 killings". Albanian Daily News. January 21, 2026.
  41. ↑ "76 mayors of the B40 Network write in support of Imamoglu and Veliaj: Concerned about their indefinite detention, violation of democracy". Balkan Web. January 28, 2026. Retrieved January 29, 2026.
  42. ↑ "Albanian Daily News". albaniannews.com. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  43. ↑ "Plastic bag usage reduced with 60% in Tirana". top-channel.tv. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  44. ↑ "15 Must-See Installations at the 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial". 22 September 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  45. ↑ "Pazari i Ri". Bashkia Tiranë. Retrieved 2018-04-17.
  46. ↑ "Skandali me firmën "5D" dhe arrestimin e drejtorëve të Bashkisë së Tiranës, kreu i "Nismës Thurje": Të ngrihet Komision Hetimor për emërimet e titullarëve". www.panorama.com.al (in Albanian). 2024-05-18. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  47. ↑ Myzyraj, Isa (26 April 2024). "Skandali "5D" - Opozita rikthehet para bashkisë/ Protesta do "paralizojë" Tiranën deri në darkë" ["5D" Scandal - Opposition once again in front of the Municipality/ The protest will "paralyze" Tirana until late in the night]. Ora News (in Albanian). Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  48. ↑ "Veliaj mohon përfshirjen në dosjen 5D, Basha: Fundi i pandëshkueshmërisë, dita e demokracisë së vërtetë" [Veliaj denies involvement in 5D affair, Basha: End of immunity from justice, day of real democracy]. www.mcntv.al (in Albanian). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  49. ↑ Erebara, Gjergj (2023-12-08). "Skandali 100 milionë euro, SPAK lëshon 15 masa sigurie për incineratorin e Tiranës" [100 million euro scandal, SPAK releases 15 criminal indictments for Tirana incinerator]. Reporter.al (in Albanian). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  50. ↑ "Sky ECC year: Albania revealed the size of organised crime in 2024". Vox. January 1, 2025.
  51. ↑ "Skandali me fondin për inceneratorët, opozita: Veliaj u hoqi qytetarëve 6 mln euro". Pamfleti (in Albanian). 2023-09-15. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  52. ↑ "SPAK dërgon për gjykim Erjon Veliajn dhe Ajola Xoxën! 13 akuza ndaj kryebashkiakut, nga të cilat 9 raste korrupsioni! 28 persona e shoqëri të pandehur! Avokatët: S'provohet asgjë - Shqiptarja.com". shqiptarja.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 2025-09-24.
  53. ↑ "SPAK sends Erjon Veliaj and Ajola Xoxë to trial! 13 charges against the mayor, of which 9 are corruption cases! 28 individuals and companies accused! Lawyers: Nothing is proven". Shqiptarija.com. September 10, 2025.
  54. ↑ "Albanian PM urges Release of Tirana Mayor Held in Pre-Trial Detention". Albanian Daily News. December 30, 2025.
  55. ↑ Daly, Selena (June 18, 2023). "Dealing with the Material Legacies of Italian Fascist Colonialism in Post-Communist Tirana". International Journal of Postcolonial Studies.
  56. ↑ Walsh, Niall. "BIG Unveils Bow-Shaped Design for National Theatre of Albania". arch daily. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
  57. ↑ "Albanian Government Hands Ownership of National Theatre Land to Municipality of Tirana". 9 May 2020. Archived from the original on 13 May 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  58. ↑ "FOTO/ Nga shembja, përplasja dhe tek policët pa maska, çfarë ndodhi tek Teatri". Gazeta Mapo. 2020-05-17. Retrieved 2020-05-17.
  59. ↑ "Protesters, Police Clash over Theatre Demolition in Tirana". 17 May 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  60. ↑ "Europa Nostra: Sad Day for Cultural Heritage and Rule of Law in Albania and Europe". 17 May 2020. Archived from the original on 23 May 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  61. ↑ "Veliaj për policen e dëmtuar: Kush është ai burrë që martohet me një pa gishta", Gazeta Shqiptare, retrieved 2018-12-06
  62. ↑ "Erion Veliaj rejects what he said about Ina Nuka: I meant it in the sense of prejudice". Hashtag.al. November 28, 2018.
  63. ↑ "Vdekja e Ardit Gjoklajt: Gjykata akuza Prokurorisë për hetime 'selektive'". reporter.al (in Albanian). 2018-05-17. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  64. ↑ "Investigation into Ardit Gjoklaj's Death "Not Sufficient"". theExit. March 21, 2018.
  65. ↑ "nis-hetimi-per-pasurine-e-erion-veliajt-dhe-familjareve-te-tij" [The investigation into the wealth of Erion Veliaj and his family members is launched]. Politico.al (in Albanian). Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  66. ↑ "Tirana Mayor Seeks Softer Security Measures After Nearly One Year in Detention". Albanian Daily News. January 30, 2026.
  67. ↑ "An Albanian court orders the capital's mayor into custody and accuses him of corruption". AP News. 10 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  68. ↑ "Wife of Mayor of Tirana, Ajola Xoxa breaks silence on SPAK allegations, denies €800,000 spending claim". Albanian Times. February 17, 2025.
  69. ↑ Stevens, Colin (June 30, 2025). "Erion Veliaj, Mayor of Tirana, held without charge for past five months". Eureporter.
  70. ↑ "After Nine Months in Prison Democratically Elected Mayor of Tirana, Albania, Erion Veliaj Speaks for Nine Minutes at the Albanian Constitutional Court and Wins Back His Office - Kasowitz and Mishcon de Reya Law Firms Hail It as a Victory for the Rule of Law". PR Newswire. November 6, 2025.
  71. ↑ "Tirana Mayor Seeks Softer Security Measures After Nearly One Year in Detention". Albanian Daily News. January 30, 2026.
  72. ↑ "Tirana's Green Tech Commitments: Towards a Sustainable Future". 11 May 2024. Retrieved 2025-04-16.
  73. ↑ "Tirana's Green Tech Commitments: Towards a Sustainable Future". 11 May 2024. Retrieved 2025-04-16.
  74. ↑ "Tirana's Green Tech Commitments: Towards a Sustainable Future". 11 May 2024. Retrieved 2025-04-16.
  75. ↑ "Tirana receives "Capital of Innovation" award for local government in Rome". 5 December 2024. Retrieved 2025-04-16.
  76. ↑ "Tirana's Mayor Erion Veliaj among 21 world heroes of sustainable mobility". 19 February 2021. Retrieved 2025-04-16.
  77. ↑ "Erion Veliaj - Budapest Climate Summit" . Retrieved 2025-04-16.
  78. ↑ "Veliaj receives "Lincoln" award for Public Service Excellence" . Retrieved 2025-04-16.
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