Prime Minister Edi Rama attended the ceremony marking the 105th anniversary of Tirana being declared the capital of Albania.

He once again addressed the arrest of Erion Veliaj, expressing his firm stance that determining whether the mayor is guilty or innocent is the responsibility of the judiciary, not the Socialist Party.

Furthermore, the prime minister implied that family members should not be involved in an individual’s legal investigation, as this does not clarify Veliaj’s guilt or innocence.

“The citizens will not hear from us whether Erion is guilty or innocent—that is for the justice system to determine. We will raise questions about this case and many others to come, supporting justice while also demanding rights.

In the ongoing process, I have witnessed the intimidation of individuals. People have been pressured in ways that reminded me of the time I was taken by the police before the fall of the regime. I was taken to a unit where I was told about the shame I should feel for betraying my father.

During this investigation, someone was reminded that their father is a state employee, with the message: ‘It would be good to honor your father.’ This is not about Erion’s guilt or innocence,” Rama stated.