Erion Veliaj and Reputation PR: How an international media outlet is helping to clear a figure under criminal investigation

2025-07-02 09:04:00, Denoncim CNA

Erion Veliaj

From a critical look at the EU Reporter article

On June 30, 2025, the international portal EU Reporter published an article with the title: “Erion Veliaj, Mayor of Tirana, held without charge for past five months.” At first glance, an ordinary news item.

Article by Eu Reporter

But careful reading reveals that we are dealing not with impartial reporting, but with a structured attempt to publicly rehabilitate the figure of a high-level official under criminal investigation.

The title that manipulates

The article opens with the claim that the mayor of Tirana is being held “without charges,” when in fact Veliaj has been in pre-trial detention by court order since February 2025, on official charges filed by SPAK for corruption, money laundering, and abuse of office. This is not only an inaccuracy, but a deliberate deviation from the legal truth.

EXCLUSIVE-The full court decision for Veliaj and Xoxa is revealed
February 11, 12:55

Emotional structure, not journalism

Instead of reporting on the facts, chronology and developments of the criminal case, the EU Reporter article begins with an emotional account of Veliaj’s mother and continues with glorifying descriptions of his figure, such as “visionary leader” and “committed public servant.” This is PR language, not editorial analysis.

Mother Shqiponja, as the thief's mother and Ardit Gjoklaj's mother, as the victim's mother
July 1, 20:24

Moreover, every other voice is missing. SPAK is not cited , no court decision is mentioned, and no concrete facts from the investigative file are mentioned. Instead of responsible journalism, the reader is faced with a portrait constructed to restore the image of a discredited politician.

Excerpt from the Eu Reporter article

Is this a sponsored article?

Not a single line of the article states whether it is sponsored or paid. But the content is completely consistent with what is called "native advertising" in the media world: paid content disguised as a regular news article. This is dangerous for the transparency and credibility of any media platform.

EU Reporter itself admits on its website that it offers sponsored content and PR services through "editorial partnerships" and "sponsorship packages." The lack of a "Sponsored" label in this case, coupled with propagandistic content, raises strong doubts about the publication's integrity.

Political context: Why now?

The publication of this article is not accidental. It comes at a critical moment, when the investigation against Veliaj includes serious accusations of multi-million dollar affairs in public tenders and money laundering with fictitious companies. The article does not aim to inform the international public, but to create an alternative narrative for Albania's external partners and global public opinion.

When lobbying for Veliaj is sold as legal consultancy
June 25, 12:09

This is a well-known strategy in political communication: using foreign media to influence perception at home and abroad, by rehabilitating one's personal image through seemingly neutral channels.

Why is this a dangerous case?

This article is symptomatic of a broader problem: media outlets that allow their platform to be used for narrow political interests, without transparency and without respecting basic standards of good journalism.

The use of EU Reporter as a channel for a biased narrative in defense of an official arrested for corruption is a clear case of what is called "reputational laundering" - cleaning one's public image through the media.

If this trend spreads, then anyone accused of corruption will be able to buy an article on an international website, to present themselves as a victim. This undermines democracy, justice, and the very essence of journalism.

The three "suicide" attacks on Veliaj's media
June 16, 1:14 PM

Can this be tolerated in the name of "freedom of the media"?

No. Media freedom also means responsibility, balance and transparency. When a media outlet uses its reputation to distribute paid content that is not identified as such, it loses credibility. And in the case of EU Reporter, it becomes complicit in distorting reality.

cONcluSiON

The EU Reporter article is not journalism. It is propaganda on an international scale. It is a case of the media being used as a political instrument. And for this, there must be public accountability.

In Albania, justice has taken an important step with the investigations of high-ranking officials. The media should not be an obstacle to this process, but an ally in protecting transparency.

The Albanian and international public deserves to know the truth. Not its paid versions./ CNA