Albanian court decides that capital’s mayor should remain in custody during corruption investigation

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — An Albanian court on Wednesday decided that the capital’s mayor should remain in custody while he is investigated for corruption involving public funds.

The Special Court for Corruption and Organized Crime, which handles cases involving top officials and politicians, arrested Mayor Erion Veliaj Monday on corruption allegations involving at least 1.1 million Euro ($1.13 million) of public funds allegedly given to businesses which in return gave his family illegal profits.

Veliaj has rejected the allegations, saying “neither me nor my family are related to the word ‘corruption.’”

The allegations against Veliaj, a senior figure in the leadership of the governing Socialist Party, has turned into a political debate ahead of May 11 parliamentary election.

The opposition claims it was their weekly protests and accusations that convinced prosecutors to launch the probe.

Governing Socialist Party leader Edi Rama, who is also prime minister, considered Veliaj’s case a political attack three months ahead of the polls. Rama said they will make public their claims about the judiciary’s double standards like in this Veliaj’s case.

The High Court Council, the governing body of the judiciary, called on the political groups not to attack prosecutors and judges.

Veliaj, in his third term as mayor, also has served as minister in Rama’s Cabinet.

Last year, Albania started discussions with the European Union on aligning with the EU on the rule of law, the functioning of democratic institutions and the fight against corruption. Graft has marred the country’s development. Albania aims to join the bloc by 2030, according to Rama.

Judicial institutions created with the support of the EU and the United States have launched several investigations into senior government officials allegedly involved in corruption, including former president and prime minister Sali Berisha, former president Ilir Meta and others.