Albania Govt Demands Elections in Capital Despite Jailed Mayor’s Court Appeal

Erion Veliaj at the moment of his arrest in Tirana. Photo: LSA Albania’s Council of Ministers urged President Bajram Begaj on Tuesday to decide a date for unscheduled elections for several municipalities, including the capital, Tirana – which jailed Mayor Erion Veliaj is hoping to block via an appeal to the Constitutional Court. “We ask for a date for preliminary elections in these municipalities,” the letter signed by the General Secretary of the Council of Ministers read. However, legal experts told BIRN that Veliaj’s request to the Constitutional Court effectively suspends the earlier decision to declare him fired and his post vacant. “It [Veliaj’s file] automatically suspends the [firing] process,” said Jordan Daci, a lawyer. By law in Albania, a complaint to the top court submitted by a fired mayor effectively suspends the firing decision. Socialist Mayor Veliaj was put in pretrial detention on 10 February and later charged with corruption and money laundering. His trial has yet to start. Veliaj claims he is innocent. Albania’ law on Local Governance allows municipal councils to declare the post of mayor vacant when the mayor does not report for duty for more than three months. The Socialist-run council in Tirana voted him down earlier this month, acting on the request of the Prime Minister and Socialist chief Edi Rama, who said the city needs a new leader. Several other mayoral vacancies have emerged in the 61 municipalities, including important ones like Vlora, whose mayor resigned, allegedly following clashes with Rama. Other vacancies arose when mayors ran for seats in the parliamentary elections of May 11. The main opposition party is struggling to find a candidate to face the Socialists in Tirana, who have controlled parliament since 2013 and the vast majority of municipalities since 2019. Several high-profile figures have refused to run, leaving the field open for whoever the opposition can find. The Socialists expect even less trouble in the races for the other mayoral vacancies; their long rule has effectively annihilated opposition forces – and their well-oiled political machine controls the hiring and firing process in the public sector that sustains a substantial share of the population, especially outside Tirana.