Which parties "caught" Veliaj?

2025-06-19 14:42:00, Denoncim CNA

Erion Veliaj

The Administrative Court of Appeal has further undermined the mayor arrested for a series of criminal charges and offenses, Erion Veliaj.

Now the noose has tightened even more, as it has been caught by the Administrative Court of Appeal.

CNA has obtained and investigated through an Administrative Court decision that highlights the abuse of office and conflict of interest committed by Mayor Erion Veliaj, which occurred while Veliaj was in prison with the GJKKO Appeals decision.

It all has to do with Mayor Erion Veliaj's signature in violation of the law to build a road, which in fact serves the personal interests of the mayor's family, CNA reports.

Investigation/ Court catches Erion Veliaj red-handed, abuse of office by decision
June 19, 13:23

According to the approved PDV, it results in a non-existent road within it, which overlaps private properties, violating the property interests of other owners, members of society.

The signing by the arrested mayor of Tirana for the construction of this new road through a local plan was in total violation of the law, as in order to build a road it must go through the National Territorial Council, because the capital's development plan did not contain that road, writes CNA.

The road that was to be built went to the properties of Veliaj's family. CNA will bring other shocking facts from the investigation carried out.

Through this investigation, CNA learned that residents have filed a lawsuit requesting the "Partial Abolition of the Detailed Local Plan (PDV), Structural Unit TR/7- Phase 1, approved by the decision of the mayor no. 36848 dated 24.09.2021" and the "Partial Abolition of the Detailed Local Plan (PDV), Structural Unit TR/7- Phase II, for structural unit TR/7_3, approved by the decision of the mayor no. 36848/1 dated 24.09.2021".

The decision of the Administrative Court of Appeal for Veliaj

With the decision of Judge Gentian Hamiti dated 27.03.2025, Erion Veliaj was caught red-handed by the Administrative Court of Appeal, after abusing his office by interfering in the General Local Plan, where he abusively intervened with a Detailed Local Plan to build a road.

The decision of the Administrative Court of Appeal for Veliaj

For this, the Administrative Court of Appeal has given its word, saying that Veliaj violated the law because it was not within his competence.

“Returning to the case under trial, it results that from the totality of the written evidence, the defendant party has not respected the standards of due process, since it has not informed the interested parties through one or more traditional means of information and has not held public meetings with them (point 7 of Article 22 of Law No. 104/2014). Under these conditions, in addition to the lack of competence to issue the administrative acts under trial, the Administrative Court of Appeal also finds non-compliance with the procedure for issuing them. Consequently, the administrative acts under trial are partially absolutely invalid, based also on point ii) of letter a) of Article 108 of the Code of Administrative Procedure, according to which, an administrative act is absolutely invalid when it is in open and flagrant contradiction with an imperative provision of this Code and the legislation in force regarding: ii) the procedure for issuing it. In the case under trial, the Administrative Court of The appeal emphasizes that the lack of competence is the main reason/cause of the partial invalidity of administrative acts. Meanwhile, procedural violations related to the failure to inform interested parties (third parties) are treated only as a supporting argument, not as an element that stands on the same level as the lack of competence," the decision states.

The decision of the Administrative Court of Appeal for Veliaj

But which parties have captured the arrested mayor of Tirana?

The parties that have arrested Mayor Erion Veliaj are the two organizations "ResPublica Center" and "Tirona Autoktone Society".

The plaintiffs are L.Ç., N.Ç., G.Ç., VR, AS and BD.

The parties in their lawsuit have presented the facts that the Detailed Local Plan approved by Erion Veliaj is contrary to the law and in conflict of interest.

CNA will continue its investigation to further reveal the chain and conflict of interest in which the arrested mayor of Tirana finds himself./ CNA