Socialists and Democrats vote to dismiss Erion Veliaj as Mayor of Tirana

The Tirana Municipal Council voted to dismiss Mayor Erion Veliaj from office, with both the Socialist Party (SP) and the Democratic Party (DP) aligning on the decision. Veliaj has been in pre-trial detention since February 10, accused of passive corruption, money laundering, and failure to declare assets. Last week, SPAK (the Special Anti-Corruption Structure) sent his case to court, prompting Socialists to seek early elections rather than leave the city indefinitely under an acting mayor. Democrats also voted in favor, though their motivation was rooted in a decade of accusations against Veliaj for alleged corruption during his tenure.

Why is this important: The vote formally ends Veliaj’s ten-year tenure as mayor and paves the way for early elections in Tirana. The rare alignment between the majority and opposition underscores the political consensus — albeit for different reasons — that the capital cannot remain leaderless until the judicial process is completed.

Context: While both sides agreed on the dismissal, controversy focused on whether Veliaj should have been allowed to present his arguments before the council. Opposition councilors argued that the council itself should have formally requested SPAK’s authorization for Veliaj to attend, citing a 2013 Constitutional Court precedent that overturned a mayor’s dismissal precisely because he had been excluded from the session.

The Constitutional Court has previously ruled that:

“Prior knowledge of the person subject to dismissal, access to the materials charging him with responsibility, and the right to be heard — both in preliminary explanations and during the review — are basic elements that guarantee the constitutional right to due process.”

A day before the vote, the council secretary informed Veliaj he could submit his arguments in writing. Veliaj responded that it was up to the council — not its secretary — to decide on his participation and warned that the procedure risked being overturned in court.

The dismissal process was initiated by Socialist councilors after Prime Minister Edi Rama called for action at the Socialist Party National Assembly. They argued their request is grounded in the Local Self-Government Law, which allows removal when a mayor has been absent from duty for three consecutive months.