The decision that left Veliaj in prison is revealed, he has the power to destroy evidence and intimidated agents

The decision of the Court of Appeal that left Tirana Mayor Erjon Veliaj in prison has been made clear. In his reasoning, Judge Engert Pëllumbi assessed that as mayor of the largest municipality in the country, Veliaj could, with his power, influence witnesses and undermine the investigation.

The Special Appeal, where Velaij requested a more lenient measure and even offered financial guarantees, emphasized that there is also a risk of fleeing the country, or of committing other criminal offenses than those for which he is being prosecuted.

Judge Pëllumbi also listed as a justification the fact that other officials or former officials accused of similar or other criminal offenses have been processed and investigated with the security measure of arrest in prison, mentioning Lefter Koka, Fatos Tushe or Vangjush Dako.

Also, according to the court, it is proven that most of the persons who have given statements to the prosecution on the investigations that were pursued against Veliaj and other persons, were contacted before and after the interrogation, mainly by Ajola Xoxa. At the same time, according to the court, there is also a risk of flight and for this, the most appropriate measure is that of arrest in prison.

Judge Engert Pëllumbi reasoned that the fact that Erion Veliaj is the acting mayor of the largest municipality in the country, such as Tirana, has the power to influence his subordinates who can provide clarifications to the prosecution, but also other persons by distorting the content of other documents that can serve the prosecution as evidence.

The leaked decision also states that Erion Veliaj has sent messages of a strongly intimidating nature to agents of the National Bureau of Investigation, openly asking them to stop calling his wife Ajola Xoxa to give statements to the prosecutor's office.