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"Complex schemes, suspicious contracts, transactions"/ Klodiana Lala reveals details from the Veliaj investigation

2024-12-13 09:43:00, Aktualitet CNA

"Complex schemes, suspicious contracts, transactions"/ Klodiana Lala

Journalist Klodiana Lala

Journalist Klodiana Lala spoke about SPAK's investigations against Erion Veliaj and his family members.

According to the journalist, a complex scheme is being investigated where, through dubious contracts, fictitious invoices and bank transactions, it has been achieved or attempted to hide money that, according to SPAK, derives from the criminal activity of corruption.

In MCN TV, the journalist Klodiana Lala stated that this is an investigation that started from corruption, but it entered the property of Erion Veliaj's family members and the mayor himself.

"SPAK claims to have set up a complex scheme, where through dubious contracts, fictitious invoices and bank transactions, it has been achieved or attempted to hide money that, according to SPAK, derives from the criminal activity of corruption. Then other details, from the seized documents , this is an ongoing investigation and we have to wait where it will go. It is the first suspicions. It is an investigation that started with corruption, but it entered the wealth of the family members Erion Veliajt and Erion Veliajt himself.

The Special Prosecutor's Office has opened a criminal investigation for the criminal offense of corruption of high state officials or local elected officials, proceeding number 27, year 2024, this is how the history of the investigation for the Mayor of Tirana, Veliaj and his family has begun. Then, from this investigation, the property investigation was also derived, for the persons related to it. Checks on the wife have been made public. Personal control means confiscation of the mobile phone, despite the fact that yesterday the lawyers of Mrs. Xoxa and Mr. Arbër Veliaj addressed the Special Court with a request to oppose the actions of SPAK, considering them illegal.

The companies of Ms. Xoxa and the companies of Mr. Veliaj's brother were also checked.

For Mrs. Xoxa, the company Partners Laë, a legal office, has been checked, a news that has not been published before but I managed to have data, through very reliable sources. Nan Gallery, the Harabel center, which is managed by Mrs. Xoxa, Ava Studio, which has the same address as the Harabel center, but Ava Studio is managed by Valbona Xoxa, who I have the impression is Ajola Xoxa's mother, Erion Veliaj's mother-in-law, has been checked.

As for Veliaj's brother, citizen Arbër Veliaj, the company Gogel shpk, two apartments, one in Kodra e Diellit and one in Qerret, were searched. These are related to family members.

I have learned from reliable sources that some premises or personal checks of other persons were also checked, it is about the citizen Elman Abule, considered according to SPAK, a trusted person of Erion Veliaj. Elman Abule is also under investigation by the Prosecutor's Office of Tirana. A personal check was made of the citizen Marisa Nito, who is the wife of Elman Abules and has social ties with Mrs. Ajola Xoxe. The company Rametal, whose administrator is citizen Elman Abule, was checked. There is personal control for the citizen Driand Zeneli and for the citizen Adela Kondakçiu.

These are all the personal or apartment and premises inspections that were ordered by the Special Court on December 5, based on the request of two prosecutors, Olsi Dado and Altin Dumani. The decision was signed by Atalanta Zeqiraj, who is a special judge.

What doubts does the prosecution have? SPAK suspects that Mr. Veliaj, through his family members or trusted persons, have committed the criminal offense of corruption, benefited and received unfair benefits, through banking transactions, individuals or other companies, through a scheme that SPAK considers complex, more after these unfair benefits, they have tried to circulate in banking, in order to hide their true origin. For this reason, personal inspections or inspections of homes and companies have also been ordered.

Meanwhile, at the same time, the prosecution has doubts that for these transactions and for this suspected corrupt activity, fictitious contracts were also signed, which are claimed to have been discovered during the checks in the companies I mentioned. SPAK also claims that all these individuals connected to Erion Veliaj have direct interests with the local government and the Municipality of Tirana.

So SPAK claims to have set up a complex scheme, where through dubious contracts, fictitious invoices and bank transactions, it has been achieved or attempted to hide money that, according to SPAK, derives from the criminal activity of corruption. Then other details, from the seized documents, this is an ongoing investigation and we have to wait where it will go. Those are the first doubts. It is an investigation that started from corruption, but it entered the wealth of Erion Veliaj's family members and Erion Veliaj himself. After that, the data obtained through official channels will be cross-referenced and SPAK will have a conclusion about the amount, the persons involved, the activity carried out and so on," said Lala./ CNA