Politico compares Veliaj to Imran Khan and Bolsonaro: Artificial intelligence gives a voice to jailed politicians

The Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, has caused a stir with a video promise of free school lunches for all children in the capital. But there is only one problem: Veliaj is currently in pre-trial detention, and the figure in the blue suit making the heartfelt announcement is generated by artificial intelligence, as Politico reports.

In a post on Instagram on his official profile, labelled as AI-generated, the video likeness of the 46-year-old appears before the Albanian flag and that of the municipality, listing his achievements in office and repeating the promise of free school lunches for the city’s children.

“I have also taken another commitment that I will never forget: food in schools,” Veliaj’s clone says. “I will keep this promise even from this cell where they have locked me.”

Veliaj has been in prison in the coastal city of Durrës since the beginning of 2025, as part of investigations into allegations of corruption and financial crimes. He denies any wrongdoing.

“My hostage-taking has been going on for 20 months and I can only greet you with artificial intelligence,” his avatar says. “I will continue to work even from the cell… I embrace you with longing, you and your wonderful children.”

After his arrest and imprisonment, early elections for Tirana were set for last November, but were cancelled at the last minute after a Constitutional Court decision found that he could not be dismissed outside normal democratic processes. Veliaj has delegated his duties to several deputy mayors while he is imprisoned, but remains the city’s official mayor until local elections are held in the first half of 2027.

This is not the first time jailed politicians have used artificial intelligence to communicate with the public. In 2023, Pakistan’s jailed former leader Imran Khan used an AI-created deepfake to call on citizens to vote for his Tehreek-e-Insaf party during the elections.

Then, in July, an AI-generated avatar of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro appeared at the opening of his son Flavio’s presidential campaign. Bolsonaro is under house arrest and has been banned from taking part in election-related discourse or activity.

Nor is it the first time Albanian officials have been provocative with artificial intelligence. In the autumn of 2025, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced the country to Diella, the world’s first AI-powered virtual minister, who was officially appointed to the government cabinet and tasked with rooting out corruption in tendering and procurement processes.

A few months after the appointment, Diella came under criticism when the woman whose appearance was used for her face and voice objected to the use of her image for a ministerial post.