A London company is taking care of Erion Veliaj's reputation

2025-06-23 22:09:00, Denoncim CNA

Erion Veliaj, the mayor of Tirana since 2015, is being defended by a London-based public relations firm, Kendal Global Advisory, which is trying to preserve and strengthen his reputation while he remains in solitary confinement since February 10, 2025.

In a communication with "shteg.org", the company admitted that Veliaj is their client, while its official website presents various successful projects with clients ranging from governments and global corporations, to strategic investors in the Persian Gulf.

According to reports by The PR Insider, monthly fees for the services of large PR companies such as Kendal Global Advisory reach up to 25 thousand pounds, about 29 thousand euros. An analysis by Essential Content shows that on average these services cost about 4,672 pounds per month, or about 5,465 euros.

In addition to contacting PR companies, according to analyst Indrit Vokshi, Albanian politicians who have problems with the law create propaganda operations, damaging the image of judges and prosecutors.

The Return of Lali Er

In the era of fast information and social networks, political reputation has become a very fragile and crucial asset for the career of any public figure. Communication experts emphasize that “careful and strategic reputation management is often the key to political survival, especially when politicians face legal challenges and media pressure”. In this context, Erion Veliaj, who has been in detention since February 10, 2025, following charges filed by the Special Prosecution Office for “passive corruption” and “money laundering”, criminal offenses that he is suspected of having committed in collaboration with his wife, Ajola Xoxa, seems to have no other choice but to try to preserve and save the name of “the good of Lali Eri”.

Although for 4 months he has stood by his statement that he is being unjustly isolated, Veliaj has turned to an English communications strategy and public relations (PR) company to protect his reputation.

Through an e-mail received by the editorial office of "shteg.org", representatives of "Kendal Global Advisory" admit that Mayor Erion Veliaj is a client of this company.

According to them, it is important to note that Veliaj is being arrested on suspicion, but there is still no indication as to when, or if, charges will be filed against him.

"Mr. Veliaj categorically denies these charges and his pre-trial detention is an element that could jeopardize Albania's very aspiration for membership in the European Union," write representatives of Kendal Global Advisory.

Meanwhile, "shteg.org's" questions about who signed the contract and how much this contract cost did not receive an answer from either the company or the mayor's brother, Arbër Veliaj.

But, according to an analysis conducted by "Essential Content" with the fixed monthly fees of 61 independent PR agencies in the United Kingdom, such as the one selected by Veliaj, the average monthly fee that the client must pay to receive the service, the consultation, is 4,672.55 pounds, or in other words 5,464.63 euros.

However, the company selected by Veliaj offers services in various countries around the world in various fields, which, in addition to natural persons, include: protecting the reputation of socially responsible persons, client litigation, strategic consulting for large corporations, as well as strengthening the reputation of clients at some of the largest events in the world.

“At Kendal, we are focused exclusively on providing impactful advice that helps clients manage their reputation, a key factor of value in today's world,” – this is the first sentence that visitors to the website of PR company “Kendal Global Advisory” read.

According to public records, "Kendal" is located in London and operates with a wide range of clients worldwide.

"We work with a wide range of clients, from large corporations to start-ups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governments, family offices and high net worth individuals," the "About Us" section states, while as a success story, the company shares cases where the strategy they followed has helped clients enhance their reputation and even become trusted strategic investors.

"A single family office in the Middle East asked us for help to protect and expand their reputation in new sectors where they were starting to make strategic investments," Kendal writes, explaining how the family was helped by preparing speeches at conferences and important articles for investors, which made it possible to build the image of a reliable investor, which was reflected in the greater financial enrichment of this family.

Political analyst Indrit Vokshi notes that in Albania, when politicians face legal charges, they often use advanced propaganda strategies to influence public opinion and undermine the credibility of justice institutions.

"They have even tried to create the opinion that politicians are honest but they are victims of persecution by the prosecution and the court," analyst Voksi says during an interview for "shteg.org".

One of the strategies followed by PR companies is to publish "good deeds" done by clients, who must constantly remind their followers or audience of them in order to achieve their goal of gaining or regaining credibility.

Such a strategy, from research on the social network "Instagram", appears to have been followed by Mayor Veliaj, who, although physically isolated for 4 months, continues to remain active in the online space.

He has remained active in sharing various content on social networks, starting from daily accounts of his unjust arrest, according to him, to cultural events in Tirana, the construction of public buildings in Tirana during his time as mayor, the passing of cinematographers and Pope Francis, and others.

From February 10 to June 23, Veliaj posted 156 posts on the social network "Instagram." In other words, 156 posts were published in 134 days, which means that on average the Mayor posts to his followers 1 or 2 times a day.

"The main priority of a society should be to hold accountable and under judicial control politicians who, by managing power and finances, have the opportunity to enrich themselves and create "private states", infiltrated structures within the state that evade the law and public interest and make decisions for occult interests," concludes Vokshi.

It is not the first time that Erion Veliaj, the suspended mayor of Tirana, has signed a contract with foreign companies to manage legal battles and public image. In March 2025, the official website of the US Department of Justice published a contract between Veliaj and the elite law firm “Kasowitz Benson Torres”, signed by him and his brother, Arbër Veliaj. The document includes the provision of legal, strategic and communication services for the criminal process he is facing in Albania. Hourly payments range from $500 to $1,950, while the agreement also includes lobbying with the US Department of State and other government institutions in the US.

The law firm will also provide consultancy on public relations in relation to the Albanian government and legislation. A representative of the firm arrived in Tirana in early March to closely follow the hearing at the Court of Appeal on the security measure against Veliaj, but was not allowed to attend due to the restrictions of local legislation. Veliaj, arrested on February 10 by the Special Prosecution Office (SPAK), faces charges of “passive corruption” and “money laundering”, which he is suspected of having committed in collaboration with his wife, Ajola Xoxa. According to SPAK, nine corrupt episodes have been identified where he is suspected of having benefited personally or through relatives./ shteg.org