The second preparatory session at the Administrative Court was accompanied by kisses and disputes, but the debate on Erion Veliaj's legitimacy to request the annulment of the decree that appointed Ols Dadon as prosecutor remained unfinished.
The administrative clash between Erion Veliaj and the prosecutor investigating him, Ols Dado, began with theatrical notes on Friday, when Hall No. 2 of the Administrative Court was filled with actors, artists and members of the Municipal Council.
Before the hearing began, 84-year-old actor Robert Ndrenika approached Veliaj and kissed him on the forehead. Another supporter was filmed kissing the hands of the mayor, who is on trial for corruption.
In the Administrative Court, Veliaj requests the annulment of the President's decree appointing prosecutor Ols Dado, considering it illegal.
While everything was being recorded and broadcast live by cameras, the judge in the case, Hazbi Balliu, asked the parties about Veliaj's and the media's request to record the entire session, but prosecutor Dado's lawyer, Erarbër Madhi, and the representative of the High Prosecutorial Council opposed it.
Lawyer Madhi announced that prosecutor Ols Dado did not give consent for the recording, arguing that it was an individual act that affected his career.
Lawyer Ndreca objected, stating that the Constitution allows for camera recording. However, the court only allowed partial recordings, only for the plaintiff and the court, but not the defendants.
During his speech, Veliaj stated that Dado did not want to shed light on the procedure of his appointment. According to him, the KLP should have sought to clean up the 'rotten branch' itself, but did not do so. He claimed that the President herself and the then president, Bamir Topi, had admitted that a mistake had been made.
Mayor Veliaj asked to give a speech, but the judge drew his attention to the fact that the subject of the hearing was positions regarding his legitimacy as a plaintiff.
However, Veliaj continued his speech, describing the investigation and his arrest as a criminal vetting for the family, but not for issues related to his duties as mayor.
While Veliaj was showing that his rights had been violated in the criminal process, Judge Balliu asked him to present a case regarding legitimacy. But together, Veliaj and Ndreca claimed that they were showing the consequence, to get to the legitimacy that he has to file a lawsuit regarding the manner of appointing Dado. Veliaj gave his speech and claimed that Dado and KLP want to close it with procedure.
"If I am not legitimized for the lawsuit, who can be more legitimized? We need an answer if the appointment of Ols Dados is legal," he said.
Next, lawyer Ndreca contested the authorization of the representative of the High Prosecutorial Council and stated that the KLP should make a collegial decision on their request. According to Ndreca, the president and in this case, the vice president, cannot grant authorization. He claimed that the KLP representative deviates from the duties given to her when she requests the disqualification of Veliaj as a plaintiff.
Judge Hazbi Balliu considered the authorization of the KLP representative to be regular and requested that the discussion return to the legitimacy of the lawsuit.
Ndreca objected to the court's assessment as unfounded, while Judge Balliu reminded him that the court did not debate the parties. He suggested that he file a criminal complaint if he saw the taxes exceeded. "The court decides, there is no debate," said Judge Balliu.
Next, Ndreca and Veliaj insisted on the presence of the vice-president of the KLP, who, in the absence of the president, has authorized the representative of this institution to participate in the process. According to Ndreca, the authorization is irregular, as it should be given by the council as a collegial body. He claimed that in this case there are two criminal offenses, forgery and taking attributes.
The representative of the KLP objected, stating that reality is being distorted. According to her, the vice-chairman of the Council replaces the chairman in the latter's absence, having all the functions and attributes. Meanwhile, she argued that the chairman represents the Council.
After reading part of the KLP's position as the defendant regarding the plaintiff's legitimacy, Veliaj requested time to review it with his defense attorneys and requested a postponement of the hearing.
Judge Balliu proposed postponing the hearing to May 29, but the KLP representative said that she had an approved permit for that day, as well as a trip abroad, for which she said she has documents to prove it.
While most of Veliaj's supporters began to laugh and mock the KLP representative in low voices, Judge Balliu proposed June 19th as the next session. The cheers increased at that moment and Judge Balliu turned the agenda of the trial dates he was consulting away from the audience.
"Let the public see," he said, showing the agenda with numerous notes. In the end, the session was postponed to June 19, at 2:00 p.m., when the subject of discussion remains Veliaj's legitimacy to be a plaintiff against Dado's appointment. /BIRN/
