The Special Court has postponed the trial of Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj and other defendants to July 21. Earlier, his wife, Ajola Xoxa, had requested that the trial be postponed until August 31, when her maternity leave would end, but the Court rejected this request.
Veliaj himself was not present at the hearing and was represented by his lawyer.
During the hearing, through her legal counsel, Ajola Xoxa requested the court to postpone the case and suspend the judicial review until the end of the period specified in a medical report she submitted after the birth of the child.
According to the request filed with the court, Xoxa argues that she wants to be personally present at the trial to guarantee an effective defense and does not authorize lawyers to represent her in her absence. But her request was not taken into account.
The court case against Erion Veliaj is related to a SPAK investigation into corruption and money laundering. According to the indictment, Veliaj is suspected of having illegally benefited through a scheme that involved public contracts, building permits and organizations linked to his wife, Ajola Xoxa.
The prosecution claims that through this scheme, illegal financial benefits were secured and their sources were hidden, while Veliaj has denied all accusations, calling them unfounded.
Veliaj has been in detention since February 10, 2025, when he was arrested in his office.
