the mayor of the municipality of Tirana, Erion Veliaj did not appear in today’s session at the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO), but is represented by his lawyer, Plarent Ndreca.
Veliaj has addressed a letter to the judge, through which he raises claims regarding his transfer from Durrës detention and requests an investigation into the circumstances of this action.
In the letter addressed to the court, Veliaj states that he received the answer regarding this issue on Friday from the Minister of Justice, Toni Gogu, who, according to him, told him that the transfer was carried out by order of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Veliaj claims that the Prime Minister’s order is illegal and states that, if he knew such a thing, other charges would be added to him for disrupting the constitutional order.
At the end of the letter, he asks the court to conduct a full and thorough investigation into the matter.
Veliaj’s letter:
As you have been informed by the media, the People’s Advocate and the Albanian Committee of Helsinki, on Wednesday of last week I was kidnapped by an escort platoon without being told the secret order why I am leaving, where I am going and how is it justified to leave with another 100 km from the court where I am being tried, from my family with 2 minors, the retired mother, and from the Municipality of Tirana that I lead.
I received the answer on Friday close to midnight when the Minister of Justice Mr. Gogu made it clear to me that I was transferred by the personal order of Prime Minister Rama; to put me in prison and let him know for his honor that the prosecutors were getting ready to add other charges to me, the most serious being that of disrupting the constitutional order for supporting, organizing and financing the protests of Flamingos and students.
This, apart from being as untrue as Nesta Angoni and Nesta Pëllumbi, is also illegal, as is the Prime Minister’s order for the transfer, as well as the claim that the prosecutors are negotiating with him for my continued persecution and the addition of charges.
This requires a thorough, thorough and impartial investigation. I leave it to your judgment to take action with full confidence in your integrity.
thank you,
Erion Veliaj
***
We remind you that, at the end of October, Veliaj was transferred from the detention center of Durrës to that of Fier by decision of the General Directorate of Prisons. The dispatch to Fier brought many reactions, while the mayor of Tirana pointed the finger at Prime Minister Edi Rama the day before.
In his reaction, Veliaj explained the meeting with Minister Gogu, according to whom he had conveyed a message from Prime Minister Edi Rama.
According to Veliaj, Rama threatened him to accept involvement in the protests of students and the Flemish, to give up the leadership of the Municipality of Tirana and to no longer consult with the lawyer Plarent Ndreca.
