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Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj has responded with a letter to the Municipal Council, after they asked him to send his claims in writing, in case he is unable to appear at the meeting for his dismissal.
Veliaj writes that he has not yet been notified of the meeting's agenda, but that what will be done regarding his dismissal has only been known in the media.
The mayor states that he did not have time to prepare his defense, either physically or in writing.
" In response to letter no. 32059/2 prot, dated 22.09.2025, signed by the secretary of the Municipal Council, we note that it does not contain the decision-making by vote of the Municipal Council regarding the guarantee of the constitutional rights of the Mayor in the dismissal procedure initiated against him, as the body that has the competence to decide on the presence, hearing and protection of the Mayor.
The Secretary of the Municipal Council cannot assume the role of a collegial body. Any communication by the Secretary of the Council that goes beyond technical-administrative functions constitutes an excess of competence and a violation of the principle of separation of functions. The Secretary is an administrative functionary, not a political body nor a decision-maker in this procedure. His powers are limited to ensuring the organizational infrastructure of meetings; distributing materials and notices; recording and keeping minutes. He has no legal authority to give instructions on how to exercise the right to be heard or to interpret the requests of the Mayor. In a procedure that may end with the dismissal of the Mayor, the right to be heard and defended of the Mayor. as a constitutional body is essential. This right cannot be reduced to a formal notification by the Secretary of the Municipal Council regarding the potential possibility of bringing a written defense.
Notwithstanding the above, from the content of the letter sent by the secretary of the Municipal Council, I, the mayor, am only informed that the Municipal Council, the next day, at 4:00 PM, is having a meeting, without being officially informed about what this meeting will be about and what its agenda is, and I do not have any official information (apart from the media news) regarding the guarantee of the right to be heard at this meeting, which even without a request from my side should have been provided to me primarily by you.
Even today, one day before the decision of the Municipal Council, I have not been officially informed by this council about the holding of a meeting in which a decision will be made regarding my dismissal as Mayor, the reasons for the dismissal, the materials that hold me responsible, the relevant clarifications from your side. The request for clarifications and evidence from my side regarding the alleged violation and the materials on which it is based, and as a result, I have not been given the opportunity to defend myself, provide explanations and be heard before this collegial body, neither physically nor in writing, especially since, since I am in detention conditions, based on a personal security measure, my options are limited.
"In light of the above, I await the decision by vote of the Municipal Council to guarantee the constitutional rights of the Mayor in the process initiated for his dismissal ," Veliaj writes in the letter.
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