Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj was detained on Monday by Albania’s National Bureau of Investigation (BKH) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution (SPAK) following a raid on the municipality, according to local media.
A court ruled that Veliaj should be held in pre-trial detention on charges of passive corruption and money laundering, with Judge Erjon Bani issuing the order. Meanwhile, his wife, Ajola Xoxa, was placed under house arrest.
Several other officials were also implicated in the case, including Gentian Sula, Meriman Palushi, Fatmir Bektashi, Sokol Kryeziu, and Shkëlqim Fusha, who were ordered to report regularly to authorities.
Allegations of Corrupt Contract Awards
Veliaj had previously been questioned multiple times by SPAK regarding allegations linked to municipal contracts. According to local reports, SPAK’s investigation has led to the arrest of several of Veliaj’s close associates, including former Municipal Inspectorate Director Mariglen Qato, former Water Supply Director Redi Molla, and former Planning Director Taulant Tushe.
At the center of the case is the construction company “5D Konstruktion,” which allegedly secured multiple contracts from the Tirana Municipality under dubious circumstances. Investigators suspect that Qato, Molla, and Tushe had Veliaj’s backing in awarding these contracts.
Authorities have reportedly uncovered intercepted conversations from Jonida Bejko, an employee of “5D Konstruktion.” In one exchange, she allegedly referenced a hotel being constructed in Durres by Veliaj’s directors, suggesting a direct link to the mayor. Bejko also indicated in messages that she was pressured to support the Socialist Party’s election campaign, further implicating officials in political misuse of municipal resources.
Investigators suspect that Qato and Molla were the real owners of “5D Konstruktion.” Prosecutors cross-referenced financial transactions and tendering processes, concluding that the company was a front set up by municipal directors to win public contracts. Between 2016 and 2020, the firm reportedly secured 13 municipal tenders and 10 water supply contracts, generating hundreds of millions of Albanian lek.
Key Evidence and Manipulated Tenders
Prosecutors also uncovered handwritten notes from “5D Konstruktion” administrator Nestor Muhametllari, detailing alleged payoffs to municipal officials. His records reportedly indicate how funds were distributed among key officials, marking Qato with an “M” and Molla with an “R.”
A notable example of alleged tender manipulation involves the reconstruction of a wrestling gym under the municipality’s sports department. According to intercepted messages, Deborah Keçi, the institution’s head, allegedly coordinated with Muhametllari to rig the tendering process in favor of “5D Konstruktion,” even granting him access to the bidding system.
Keçi reportedly disqualified competing companies to ensure “5D Konstruktion” won the contract. During these exchanges, she expressed concerns over the legality of the process, messaging colleagues: “Just make sure everything is done properly, or we might end up in jail.”
The investigation suggests that from 2016 to 2023, senior officials in the Tirana Municipality engaged in systemic corruption, directing public funds into their own pockets through rigged tenders. Prosecutors are also pursuing cases against other municipal directors, including Transport Director Enton Punavia and “Tirana Parking” Director Eglantina Zere.
The case marks one of the most significant anti-corruption investigations in Albania’s recent history, with further legal action expected in the coming weeks.
