Plarent Ndreca, the defense attorney for Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, says that the meeting between Gogu and Veliaj took place in the office of the director of the Fier prison and lasted about an hour and a half.
"He went after I met Veliaj. He went at 10:30 at night. From what he states, it shows that he went to exercise my duty as a minister and as a friend. The exercise is done normally on Fridays, after official hours, at dinner and in secret. There is no reason to hide, not for Veliaj who was his friend, but for any detainee who values meeting him.
"According to what Veliaj told me, they stayed for about an hour and a half in the director's office, alone. I believe that the conditions are reviewed in the prison director's office. Everything that happened there is summarized. We have only stated the demands that Gogu has made," Ndreca said on the "Opinion" show.
Ndreca says that Veliaj has been asked to resign from the Tirana municipality and delegate the task to Arbër Hajdar. He adds that there are witnesses to this case.
"So far, today, Veliaj has publicly invited Rama to reveal the fact on which this is based. To admit something he did not do. He has been asked to resign. Veliaj is elected by vote and has constitutional responsibility. He has been asked to delegate the municipality to Arbër Hajdar. There are witnesses for this issue as well. Rama has asked Veliaj," said Ndreca.
One of the demands that Gogu has made to Veliaj is the removal of Ndreca as defense attorney. The former MP also reveals some communications with Prime Minister Edi Rama, which he says were tense and even went as far as insults.
"I, in a communication with the Prime Minister, even today by phone, was filled with tension and insults. Rama called me for this reason. Because he thinks that I am the instigator of Erion's independence from Rama.
"Rama called me and expressed dissatisfaction with me as a political advisor, in the sense that I encouraged Veliaj's independence from Rama. In fact, I am not Veliaj's only legal advisor, it is a large group," said Ndreca.
Plerent Ndreca explains that Mayor Veliaj was not against the transfer from Durrës detention center to Fier, but that he does not have access to the decision explaining the reasons for the transfer.
"No one has complained about having to stay in Durrës. The authorities, when they make a decision, should inform you of the decision and the argument as to why they made this decision. The law stipulates that the detainee must stay close to his family, lawyer, and the court. We do not have the reasons for the transfer. The information is secret, not the decision. We do not have the decision," said Ndreca.
Asked by journalist Fevziu about the breakdown in relations between Veliaj and Rama, Ndreca replied that he had initiated legal proceedings against the mayor. Ndreca stated that Veliaj was being politically persecuted by Edi Rama.
"It is a process related to the criminal case. Veliaj is convinced that there is political persecution, where one of the secret beneficiaries is Edi Rama," said Ndreca. / tvklan.al
