The Special Prosecution Against Corruption (SPAK) in Albania ordered the arrest of the capital’s mayor Erion Veliaj on Monday by the forces of the Investigation Bureau for passive corruption and money laundering.

Veliaj first took office as Tirana mayor in 2015 and was re-elected to his third term in May 2023 under the ruling Socialist party. He is accused of misappropriating at least $ 1.1 million by channeling public funds to businesses that provided illicit benefits to him and his family.

This development is part of a broader initiative by Albanian judicial institutions, supported by the European Union and the United States, to not only combat corruption in the country but also sweep judicial reforms required for the opening of EU accession negotiations, including restructuring the judicial system, creating a Specialized Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK), and vetting of all judges and prosecutors as the country seeks to join the European Union by 2030.

The investigations are reported to have been extended to a ruling Socialist Party member of parliament and the chairwoman of the Laws Committee for allegedly obstructing the discovery of the truth in the case. 

Through his Facebook account, Veliaj reacted to the arrests stating:

I have told the chairman and anyone else who has asked me: Neither I nor my family have anything to do with corruption. This whole story is so tragicomic that people will not believe it when they hear, one by one, the absurdities of this accusation.

The mayor’s wife Ajola Xoxa is currently under house arrest pending further investigations. The investigations will underscore Albania’s ongoing efforts to address corruption within its political system which is a critical factor in its quest for European Union membership.