Analyst Ilir Kulla has commented on the transfer of Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj to Fier prison, linking this development to a political clash between him and Prime Minister Edi Rama over the leadership of the Tirana Municipality.
Invited to the show "Free Zone" on News24, Kulla stated that the real cause of the conflict could be related to a request that Rama had made to Veliaj about a month ago, after the dismissal of the deputy mayor of Tirana.
According to the analyst, the prime minister had asked Veliaj to delegate the signature and appoint a well-known figure from civil society as deputy mayor, with the aim of creating a solution in view of the upcoming elections.
Kulla claimed that Veliaj had rejected this request, insisting that he would not delegate the signature to anyone and that he would continue to exercise the function until the day he left office.
The analyst also spoke about the treatment that, according to him, Veliaj experienced during his time in prison, claiming that for a year and a half he was not paid the salary he was due as mayor.
"I think the real reason has to do with a request that Rama made a month ago when the deputy mayor was dismissed, since Veliaj cannot be a candidate for the next elections, he asked him to nominate a very well-known figure from civil society, so Rama asked Veliaj.
He has requested that in view of the upcoming elections that the President of the Republic decreed today, he delegate the signature and appoint a very well-known public figure as vice-mayor, whose name I will not reveal for personal reasons. Practically, Veliaj has said, I will not delegate the signature to anyone anymore, I will continue until the day I am mayor, after you dismissed me once and I was reinstated through the Constitutional Court, I will not delegate the signature to anyone and this has created a clash. Veliaj has said no, and has also experienced very badly the arrogance and aggressiveness with which they confronted him after for a year and a half they had not even paid him the salary that was due to him as mayor while he was in prison.
This is where the clash began and we have reached the point we are at today, that he has not only been transferred, making it difficult for his family, and on the other hand, sources that quoted Mr. Rama today said that Veliaj is no longer with us because he is with the protesters. Rama has definitely chosen to distance himself from Veliaj and confront him, and on the other hand, there is a problem that is the Municipality of Tirana, the largest municipality in the country... The legal battle has also been joined by a political battle that is the only one of its kind. The relationship that had been strained for a long time has apparently come to an end, both politically and personally,' he said.
