FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The Special Appeal has rejected the request of the mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, to change the security measure from “prison arrest” to a milder measure. The decision was made by judge Nertina Kosova, who decided to continue his stay in prison.
Veliaj was present at the hearing, while the defense was represented by the appointed lawyer, Valentina Teodorescu. The hearing resumed at 2:30 p.m., after the mayor had earlier requested time to familiarize himself with a decision, and was given one hour.
The Mayor of Tirana had appealed the February 1 decision of Judge Etleva Deda, who had decided to continue the measure of "prison arrest". In the request to the Appeals Court, Veliaj requested the replacement of the measure with a milder alternative, also offering a financial guarantee or any other measure provided by law.
According to the defense, after the case went to trial, there is no longer a risk of evidence being destroyed, which in its assessment constitutes a circumstance for changing the security measure.
In previous hearings, Veliaj has claimed that he has been denied the right to effective defense, arguing that he has not yet been familiarized with the investigative file. He has also rejected the court-appointed lawyer, opposing her representation on the grounds that he does not have full knowledge of the file and that such defense conflicts with his legal strategy.
Erion Veliaj has been in prison custody since February 10, 2025. The Special Prosecution Office (SPAK) filed a request to transfer the case to trial several months ago, while 13 charges have been filed against him.
According to SPAK, the charges include passive corruption in nine cases, money laundering, failure to declare assets, abuse of office and introduction of prohibited items into prisons. The prosecution alleges that in several cases, Veliaj has irregularly benefited from monetary sums and real estate from private entities, which, according to the prosecution, have benefited from construction permits and public funds from the Municipality of Tirana.
Lini një Përgjigje