Wife of Mayor of Tirana, Ajola Xoxa breaks silence on SPAK allegations, denies €800,000 spending claim

Ajola Xoxa, the wife of Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, has publicly responded for the first time to allegations that she spent over €800,000 on luxury clothing and jewelry. The claim that emerged from the SPAK files has since become one of the most debated aspects of the case against her husband. Xoxa strongly denied the accusations, calling them absurd and completely false. She accused SPAK of distorting facts to manipulate public opinion.

Why is this important: The information about alleged extravagant spending is one of the most contentious aspects of the SPAK case against Veliaj and his wife. The manner of the public release of these details has reignited accusations that SPAK is engaging in character assassination rather than conducting a fair judicial process. This is not the first time SPAK has been accused of playing politics by selectively leaking or releasing highly sensitive, and at times unrelated details, about suspects’ files to the media. In many instances, these have resulted in distorted facts or outright falsehoods, raising concerns about the prosecution’s credibility and impartiality.

Context: In a detailed statement, Xoxa expressed outrage over what she described as a trial by media, saying she had only learned about the staggering €800,000 figure from the press rather than through official channels.

“I found out about the so-called €800,000 spending on dresses and jewelry at the same time as the public—from the media,” she wrote. “Meanwhile, I only received the official charges a day before my court hearing.”

Xoxa revealed that since the allegations surfaced, forensic accountants have examined her financial records, and the actual amount she has spent over the last 10 years on clothing, accessories, and cosmetics is €75,025—a far cry from the headline-grabbing sum of €800,000.

“This is still a significant amount, and I understand that,” she said, “but it is nowhere near the grotesque figure being used to smear me in the public eye.”

Accusations of manipulation: According to Xoxa, SPAK deliberately misrepresented her personal finances, fueling a media firestorm that wrongfully portrayed her as someone living a life of extravagant luxury. She emphasized that she comes from a well off family and that her income, which has ranged from €2,000 to €7,000 per month over the years, comes from her work as a lawyer, legal consultant, and artistic director.

“I have never owned Hermès or Chanel bags, I have never bought absurdly expensive lingerie,” she said.

Weaponization of leaks: The spread of these allegations has once again raised concerns about the prosecution’s methods, particularly the use of selectively fed information to the media to shape public perception before trial.

It is not the first time SPAK has been accused of cynically using sensitive but misleading information to ramp up support from the public for its prosecutions. In past cases, details that fuel public outrage or humiliate the accused have been widely publicized before any legal verdict is reached.

Prime Minister Edi Rama reacted furiously to the leak, accusing SPAK of playing politics by pushing provocative but baseless information to inflame public sentiment.

“Throwing false information at the people to incite their rage is not justice,” Rama said, suggesting that SPAK was acting as a political weapon rather than an impartial investigative body.

What’s next: Xoxa has vowed to fight the allegations and bring her case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg if necessary. She has also pledged to release further financial details in the coming days to disprove SPAK’s claims and restore her reputation.