The hearing at the High Court for Veliaj has been going on for about 2 hours / The decision is awaited

2025-07-08 13:44:00, Aktualitet CNA

The hearing at the High Court for Veliaj has been going on for about 2 hours /

The hearing for Mayor Erion Veliaj began at 12:00 at the High Court. The court is reviewing Veliaj's appeal for a change in the security measure. The hearing has been going on for about two hours and the decision from the High Court is awaited.

Mayor Veliaj has been arrested in 9 cases of corruption, is under indictment for laundering the proceeds of crime, for introducing prohibited items into detention cells, for refusing to declare, failing to declare, concealing or falsely declaring assets, private interests of elected officials and public servants or any other person who has a legal obligation to declare.

Erion Veliaj was arrested at noon on February 10 at the Municipality of Tirana, following investigations by SPAK, which initially charged him with committing the criminal offenses of "Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials", committed in collaboration (9 times) and "Laundering of the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity".

Veliaj was then charged with introducing prohibited items into detention cells.

Further on May 22, another charge was added to him, the charge of "Refusal to declare, failure to declare, concealment or false declaration of assets, private interests of elected persons and public servants or of any other person who has a legal obligation to declare."

This new accusation comes after it was concluded that there is concrete evidence that raises reasonable suspicions about undeclared assets linked to the couple, near the "Kodra e Diellit" residence, where they currently live.

In connection with this case of non-declaration, a new charge has been filed against Mayor Veliaj's wife, Ajola Xoxa.

Following this accusation, the seizure of Veliaj's villa in Kodra e Diellit was announced.

Meanwhile, after the date of the hearing for Veliaj at the High Court was revealed, there has been a campaign of attack and propaganda by the media led by the arrested mayor of Tirana./ CNA