With 3 votes in favor and none against, the Criminal College of the Supreme Court decided to leave in force the security measure of "prison arrest" for the Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj.

Judges Sandër Simoni, Valbon Cekrezi and Gent Shala announced the verdict, upholding the decision of the Special Appeal of March 13, 2025, which had imposed the coercive measure of arrest on Veliaj.

The decision was taken in the consultation room, without the presence of the parties, where the panel reviewed the defendant's appeal in light of the duties assigned to it by the Constitutional Court, which forced the Supreme Court to justify why any other security measure, other than that of imprisonment, was disproportionate to the function of the Mayor.
The arguments on which the panel members relied should be expected to be learned once the decision is made public.

"The Criminal Panel of the High Court, convened on September 15, 2026, in the Consultation Chamber, reviewed the criminal file with the following parties: Applicant: Erion Veliaj, Interested Party: Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime and subject: Abrogation of decisions no. 7, dated 09.02.2025, of the Special Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organized Crime, validated by decision no. 14, dated 12.02.2025, of the Special Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organized Crime; no. 13, dated 13.03.2025, of the Special Court of Appeal for Corruption and Organized Crime; no. 00-2025-1153 (176), dated 08.07.2025, of the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court. Court costs to be borne by the interested party.
After reviewing the case, the Panel, based on Article 441, point 1, letter "e" of the Code of Criminal Procedure, decided: "Upholding Decision No. 13 (87-2025-85), dated 13.03.2025 of the Special Court of Appeal for Corruption and Organized Crime," the decision states.

While the court was considering the case, outside the building a group of activists demanded that the local elected official be kept in prison.
Erion Veliaj has been in custody since February 10, 2025, when he was arrested in his office at the Municipality of Tirana by order of SPAK. He is charged with 13 criminal charges, such as corruption, money laundering and concealment of assets. The mayor is suspected of having collaborated with his wife Ajola Xoxa and other incompetents to create a corruption and money laundering scheme. According to SPAK, Veliaj signed construction permits in favor of several businessmen and the latter fed money in the form of bribes to companies controlled directly or indirectly by Ajola Xoxa.