Political imprisonment as a justifying propaganda instrument

2026-02-11 14:54:00, Editorial CNA

When talking about political imprisonment, there is a misunderstanding, referring to the names of current politicians in Albania.

For example, how can it be political imprisonment for Berisha and Erion Veliaj? Or for Ilir Meta and Ilir Beqaj? Or for Ervin Salianj, even for the one who was convicted for a box of fish?

Find out who the political prisoners of Justice Reform are
February 11, 2:32 PM

How can it be political imprisonment when Erion Veliaj, in fact, was the number two of the Socialist Party, mayor of Tirana, the main man of the party who led the Justice Reform, a close friend of Fatmir Xhafaj, supported by him. Moreover, Erion later supported him, with all his directors of the "5D" file, to make Xhafaj an MP and now he comes out with the claim as a political prisoner.

Where was Fatmir Xhafaj when Veliaj's drawers were opened?
December 9, 1:25 PM

Ilir Meta has the right to claim because he says that the Socialists, for 12 years in power, carried out the reform, although he struggled to find consensus, that Rama misused it, that it is not a reform, that it is a Rama-form and so on.

Justice Reform/ Meta makes strong accusations against Rama
July 16, 1:24 PM

Sali Berisha also attacks him and says that this is what State Security investigators do.

Berisha accuses judges and prosecutors/ "They are taking power from parliament, like the State Security once did"
November 22, 21:26

But Erion Veliaj says that this is about political imprisonment, when the vetting was done by the SP, the reform was done by the SP, and the reform ultimately put Meta in prison and put Berisha under house arrest.

Today, another mayor, Edison Memolla, has come forward, taking a stand, stating that it is political imprisonment and saying that the judge has political connections.

"I am a political prisoner"/ Memolla reacts after the sentence: I was sentenced for helping someone in need
February 11, 11:47

Now in Albania everyone has connections, they have a family member in the DP, in the SP, they could be a judge, they could be a prosecutor, they have a cousin in a political party, they have a relative who is a director. Moreover, political opponents in Albania don't even talk to each other at all.

The work of these socialists who say it is political persecution by judges and prosecutors, when one is caught stealing votes and the other signing funds to take his wife, is not a big surprise, knowing how they deceive with their propaganda.

If Berisha and Meta complained, everyone would accept it (let's accept Salianji too, even though he has taken power), saying that Rama has been in power for 12 years, is in his fourth mandate, that he has done everything and that he is captured. It would be more credible and they would have some right.

How Rama, Berisha and Meta fall together
October 4, 19:53

The opposition also says that Erion Veliaj was put in prison by Edi Rama. Meanwhile, Erion Veliaj, through lobbyists and law firms, claims that he is a political prisoner.

What is the political persecution that has put Erion Veliaj and Edison Memolla in prison under Edi Rama, at a time when they are representatives of the Socialist Party?

But how did Edi Rama put these mayors in jail? One bought votes for the SP, the other was the chairman of the SP in Tirana and was put in jail before the campaign. That this political persecution of these people is not going well, that it was actually harming Rama. But it turned out that, even though Erion Veliaj was put in jail, Rama received more votes and more mandates.

By Elvi Fundo/ "Arrest the people, release Veliaj"
February 10, 16:52

But beyond all of that, this alleged political persecution is simply and only a justifiable instrument for the propaganda of the day and to keep the militants as close as possible or to justify and extend their political careers, nothing more than that.

While Berisha prolongs the claim as a political prisoner and is often contradictory in his stance towards SPAK or GJKKO, he only evaluates decisions where socialists are punished, playing politically, after all he is the opposition. These socialist mayors or officials cannot cope with this part. They copy Saliu.

Berisha's "doctors", Salianji and other scoundrels
December 10, 13:41

After these pearls that come from the positions of officials to Veliaj's lobbying, there is nothing left but for Edi Rama to say that his thieving ministers and the Tirana Zdromsi were put in prison by Saliu. This has not happened yet, the prime minister has gone as far as accusing prosecutors and judges to intimidate them, he has not yet reached Saliu. We really hope that this time Saliu himself is to blame. /CNA