“Veliaj should be released,” says councilor Valteri: “The investigation has been closed for a year — Tirana needs its mayor”

Halit Valteri, the Socialist member of the Tirana Municipal Council, argued that Erion Veliaj should be released from pretrial detention, since, according to him, the investigation has been closed for about a year and there is no longer any chance for the mayor to interfere with evidence.

In the studio of “Shqipëria Live”, Valteri raised questions about the reasons for continuing the arrest-with-prison measure against Veliaj.

“The investigation has been closed for a year. What evidence would he tamper with this year that the investigation is closed? What makes one prosecutor persecute another?” declared Valteri.

He also drew a comparison with cases of people accused of serious crimes, claiming that a different standard was applied to Veliaj.

“The criminal accused of 4-5 murders ran away, while 30 police officers stormed Veliaj in the operating room. So, there are people who are invested in keeping Veliaj in prison,” said Valteri.

Valteri also referred at the end to the Constitutional Court’s decision, saying that failing to reflect it in the continuation of the case would, in his view, be a blow to justice.

“The end of justice would be if tomorrow the Constitutional Court’s recommendation, which says Tirana needs its mayor, is not implemented,” said Valteri.

He linked the rest of his argument to the state of the capital and the functioning of the municipal administration. According to Valteri, Veliaj’s absence has been reflected in cleaning, road maintenance and investment decision-making.

“Today Tirana is dirtier, without roads, the Roads Directorate is asleep. Tirana’s Cleaning Directorate is the most failed one. The municipal administration has zero communication with the council because those who were dismissed worked for their own interests and not those of the citizens. Directors without identity, without any contribution, unknown in the community. They were placed there to approve the budget. Who would lead them, Anuela. If you’re drunk you can’t lead council meetings. That’s why I say that if Veliaj doesn’t return, the citizens who voted for him have been harmed.”

“Decision-making takes courage — who will make the decision for the investment, for example in the Kashar area, where we only have 30 minutes of water. And as long as there is no one to make the decision, it can’t happen. The water utility director, with all due respect, cannot make this decision alone.”

“On the road to Top Channel, cars drive as if you’re in a jungle, not in Tirana — you’ve seen it yourselves. As long as we have corrupt and incapable people who have deserted work at the municipality, we definitely need a strong hand to remove them,” concluded Valteri.