Journalist explains what’s next after the Supreme Court decision: That was the last train for Veliaj

Euronews journalist Eni Ferhati spoke in a live link for the “Now with Erla Mëhillin” show, where he shared details from the session at the Supreme Court, where Tirana mayor Erion Veliaj had requested the change of the “prison arrest” security measure.

Ferhati announced that the three judges had been unanimous in their stance of not accepting the review and of upholding the decision of the Special Court of Appeals of March 2025, on the continuation of the “prison arrest” security measure.

The journalist described this decision as the “last train” for Veliaj regarding the possibility of a softer security measure, arguing that after the decisions of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court, the special courts at other levels are unlikely to change the security measure.

“The decision given today — we should keep in mind that it was in a session in the deliberation chamber. The three judges, who according to information were unanimous in their stance, refused, did not accept the review and upheld the decision of the Special Court of Appeals of March 2025, on the continuation of prison arrest. In itself today the court examined the recourse, let’s say, because the Constitutional Court examined the complaint regarding the recourse of the Supreme Court, which had earlier also upheld the prison arrest measure. So, it was a recourse, but from the point of view of procedure and the hierarchy of our judicial system, I can quite well say that today this was the last train for Mr. Veliaj, in the sense of a softer security measure. As long as the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court do not have such a decision, let’s forget that the Special Court and the Special Appeals Court, based also on precedents, will have the courage or the approach in the future, or in the coming months, to accept Mr. Veliaj’s next request for replacing the “prison arrest” security measure,” the journalist said.

He added that this was the last train not only in the sense of Mr. Veliaj’s criminal position, but, as he sees it, also the last train in the sense of a political approach that Mr. Veliaj, in the seven or eight months remaining of his mandate at the helm of the Tirana Municipality, might find his political compass or make some kind of opposition or approach that Mr. Veliaj would have in relation also to his political figure, not only with the criminal case, which is of course in the first place.

Veliaj during these times regained control of the Tirana Municipality. So, the whole issue now remains with the reasoning, and we need to read why other measures are not proportional or appropriate. This is not the first request that is rejected and there are other requests that Mr. Veliaj has filed at all levels of the judiciary, but as long as the Supreme Court does not take such a decision, I believe that at the other levels there is no hope. Based also on precedents, where in the past it is not that the special courts, whether first or second instance, have planned, let’s say, to soften the security measure,” said the journalist.