Veliaj remains in prison/ Does the Supreme Court consider his isolation proportionate?

Amid the cries of protesters stationed in front of the Supreme Court demanding: 'Judge, do justice, leave Veliaj in the cell', members of the SSJ decided this Tuesday to leave Erion Veliaj in prison, seeing the measure of isolation as proportional in relation to his function.

The hearing, which began at 09:30 in the Consultation Chamber, came as a result of a decision for reconsideration by the Constitutional Court. In the decision it made for the first citizen of Tirana, the High Court reasoned that the 9 charges against him as well as the attempts to intimidate witnesses are sufficient to continue his isolation. "After reviewing the case, the Criminal Panel, based on Article 441, point 1, letter "e" of the Code of Criminal Procedure, decided: Leaving in force Decision no. 13 (87-2025-85), dated 13.03.2025 of the Special Court of Appeal for Corruption and Organized Crime," the Court's announcement said.

"The result announced today raises a dramatic question: what value do constitutional guarantees have if the decisions of the Constitutional Court are not effectively implemented? When such a conclusion does not find a convincing explanation in the Constitution and the law, then the causes must be sought beyond legal arguments and outside the courtroom," stated the prisoner's lawyer, Plarent Ndreca, after the decision.

While in his reaction, Prime Minister Rama said: "Again Tirana without a head and again the newly elected president, christened by the Constitutional Court itself as the only one in office and immovable from office, cannot move from the cell where he is being held without trial! Yes, the rule demands that the decisions of the courts be respected and I always submit to this rule - I do not even comment on the decisions before they are final."

This session was preceded by great political pressure between opposition DP MPs (link below) and representatives of the Flamingo Revolution who wanted Veliaj in prison, and the mayor's structure itself, which played every stone to get him out.

With a letter from Erion Veliaj's prison, he stripped the deputy mayor, Anuela Ristani, of her right to represent him and make decisions at the head of this institution, making an attempt to present his return to office after a year and a half as necessary. Veliaj stripped the deputy of her right to sign, claiming that she had disobeyed his orders and had even removed his people from key positions even when they had won the right to continue in court. According to the acting mayor, this hindered his constitutional functions. It seemed curious that he did not delegate his powers to anyone else, leaving the municipality in a state of chaos, as if he were exerting pressure for his release from prison and his return to the helm.

On May 25, 2026, the Constitutional Court overturned the decision of the Supreme Court that left the mayor in prison, arguing that this court had not provided an exhaustive argument for the proportionality of his detention, especially considering the fact that the detainee was a politician elected by the citizens. Now justice has spoken. What remains in question is: what to do with the citizens of Tirana now that due to the Veliaj process, he has thrown the Municipality into chaos. Will he continue to insist that he not delegate his authority and signature again and pretend to be the mayor from prison?

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