Erion Veliaj has begun a new phase of his battle with justice. This weekend, many local media outlets reproduced an article by a relatively unknown online site, ``Brussels Morning,'' echoing claims that the acting mayor of Tirana is being unfairly isolated.
Veliaj, who through his brother's company has paid almost half a million USD in the US alone to lobby in his favor through Kasowits Benson Torres LLP, has managed to secure the support of an MEP. ``The rule of law means proportionality, due process and the presumption of innocence,'' Sandro Gozi, a French MEP for Renew Europe, told Brussels Morning, adding: ``Eighteen months of detention is an extremely long period and raises serious questions about necessity and proportionality.''
If you look closely, the article is built with only one specific quote and old statements here and there. It clearly seems to be a fabrication to create increasing media pressure. This suspicion is also added by the fact that ``Brussels Morning`` is a peripheral media in Belgium, which claims to have a newsletter with 5 thousand subscribers. It claims to have influence in the circles of EU bureaucrats, but it never has the weight of Politico, Euractiv or Brussels Times.
So why is this article needed and why has the new phase of pressure begun?
Everything is related to the date of September 15, when his case will be reviewed by the Supreme Court after the Constitutional Court requested a review of his detention. On May 25, 2026, the Constitutional Court annulled the decision of the Supreme Court that left the mayor in prison, arguing that this court had not provided an exhaustive argument for the proportionality of his detention, especially considering the fact that the detainee was a politician elected by the citizens.
This is precisely the point that Veliaj's lawyer focused on in the ``Brussels Morning`` article. "Following the Constitutional Court's decision, the legal basis for continuing to keep Mr. Veliaj in detention has changed fundamentally," said Plarent Ndreca.
So mid-September will be a key date in Erion Veliaj's journey with Albanian justice. So far, he has achieved some victories, but he has also suffered defeats. The incumbent mayor was given a victory by the Constitutional Court when, in November 2025, it ruled in his favor and not the prime minister who wanted to dismiss him. It left Veliaj in office, albeit in prison.
Another court, the administrative court, dismissed Veliaj's lawsuit for the avoidance of his prosecutor Ols Dado from the process, seeking his removal from the system where he was alleged to have entered improperly. The court dismissed Veliaj's lawsuit, implying that it was intended to undermine the criminal process.
Veliaj has been in solitary confinement in a detention cell since February 10, 2025, on charges of corruption and money laundering. His wife, Ajola Xoxa, a former SP MP, and 16 other people, including politicians, businessmen, and associates, have also been sent for trial with Veliaj.
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