The mayor of Albania’s capital, Erion Veliaj, has filed a lawsuit seeking to annul a 2008 presidential decree that appointed special prosecutor Ols Dado, alleging the appointment violated legal requirements and questioning the legitimacy of actions taken by Dado against him.
Veliaj lodged the complaint on Thursday with the Administrative Court of First Instance in Tirana against the office of the President of the Republic for the 2007–2012 term and against Dado, who currently serves as a special prosecutor in anti-corruption investigations.
The lawsuit claims Dado was appointed without completing the mandatory Magistrates’ School at the time and was instead practising as a notary, making the decree “null and void.” Veliaj asked the High Prosecutorial Council to revoke Dado’s status as a magistrate and end his prosecutorial functions, asserting that any actions taken by Dado could be legally challenged.
Veliaj, a former Socialist Party MP and mayor since 2015, has been under investigation since February 2025 for alleged corruption related to public contracts and city development projects. He has previously criticized Dado’s handling of the case, calling it politically motivated.
The dispute comes amid wider debates in Albania over judicial reform, the independence of prosecutorial institutions, and the oversight of appointments made during prior administrations. The case raises questions about the legality of prior decrees and the authority of current prosecutors to investigate high-profile political figures.
Dado was originally proposed for appointment in 2008 by the then Prosecutor General, Ina Rama, despite not having completed formal magistrate training, according to Veliaj’s complaint. If the court rules in Veliaj’s favour, it could have implications for other legal cases handled by Dado and for Albania’s ongoing efforts to strengthen judicial accountability.