"The villa is not mine", Veliaj's testimony: Cursed be whoever works in this country

The testimonies of the mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, and his wife, Ajola Xoxa, have been revealed at the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SCOC).

Xoxa has requested a change in the security measure from "house arrest" to "compulsory appearance", while a more lenient measure has been requested for Veliaj, specifically a property guarantee.

His lawyer, Ermir Beta, in a statement to journalist Anila Hoxha, stated that "the guarantee would be appropriate" for Veliaj.

In the courtroom, Veliaj said that he has not yet been given a clear explanation for his arrest.

"I, a mayor elected by the people of Tirana, have done my duty. I have taken revenge on my family, because I have worked on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. But cursed be the one who works in this country, because he becomes the object of attack and ends up in this situation where I am today," he said.

Regarding the villa in Qerret, Veliaj clarified.

Read too EU delegation in Tirana reacts to Veliaj's arrest on SPAK order 

"It's not ours. It's natural for my child's toys to be there. My wife is an only child, I don't know why it seems so unnatural for the toys to be at grandma's house."

On the other hand, the prosecution argued that all the clothing found had unique codes and were personal items, including lipstick and jewelry.

In the same session, Elman Abule, who is currently in prison custody, requested that the security measure be changed to a property guarantee. While Fatmir Bektashi requested that the obligation to appear in his case be aligned with that of the "Partizani" file.

Meriman Palushi, meanwhile, requested that the requirement to appear be made twice a month, arguing that once a week was not proportionate, reports tch.