The Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime, within the deadlines provided for by Article 323/2 of the Criminal Procedure Code, has completed the preliminary investigations and has sent for trial to the Special Court of First Instance, criminal proceedings no. 27 of 2024 against the defendants:
Erion Veliaj, accused of committing criminal offenses:
1. “Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received by “Agi Kons” shpk, provided for by article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code.
2. “Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from “Fusha” shpk, provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
3. “Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from “Palushi” shpk, provided for by article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
4. “Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from “Gerard-A” shpk, provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
5. “Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from “Kontakt” shpk, provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
6. “Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from the NGO “Eventus”, provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
7. “Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from the NGO “Muza”, provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
8. “Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from “BYL-A” NGO, provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
9. “Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received by the “Frobolous” NGO, provided for by article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
10. “Laundering of the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, committed in collaboration more than once, provided for by Article 287/2 of the Criminal Code;
11. “Introducing or keeping prohibited items in the institution for the execution of prison sentences”, more than once, provided for by Article 324/a/2 of the Criminal Code;
12. “Refusal to declare, failure to declare, concealment or false declaration of assets, private interests of elected persons and public servants or of any other person who has a legal obligation to declare”, provided for by Article 257/a/2 of the Criminal Code;
13. “Abuse of office”, provided for by Article 248 of the Criminal Code.
Ajola Xoxa, accused of committing the criminal offense of:
“Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from “Agi Kons” shpk, provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
“Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from “Fusha” shpk, provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
“Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from “Palushi” shpk, provided for by article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
“Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from “Gerard-A” shpk, provided for by article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
“Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from “Kontakt” shpk, provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
“Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from the NGO “Eventus”, provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
“Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from the NGO “Muza”, provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
8. “Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received from “BYL-A” NGO, provided for by Article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
“Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration, in relation to the irregular benefit received by the “Frobolous” NGO, provided for by article 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
"Laundering of proceeds of crime or criminal activity", committed in collaboration more than once, provided for by Article 287/2 of the Criminal Code; (among other things, as a person who acted for the benefit of the legal entity NGO "Harabel"),
“Refusal to declare, failure to declare, concealment or false declaration of assets, private interests of elected persons and public servants or of any other person who has a legal obligation to declare”, provided for by Article 257/a/2 of the Criminal Code (2 times);
"Hiding income", provided for by articles 260 and 25, 287/2, 257/a/2 and 180/1 and 25 of the Criminal Code.
3. Elman Abule, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, committed in collaboration more than once, provided for by Article 287/2 of the Criminal Code, on behalf of the commercial company “Rametal” shpk;
4. Gentian Sula, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by Article 245 of the Criminal Code, on behalf of the commercial company, “Agi Kons” shpk;
5. Fatmir Bektashi, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by Article 245 of the Criminal Code, on behalf of the commercial company “Kontakt” shpk;
6. Meriman Palushi, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by Article 245 of the Criminal Code, on behalf of the commercial company “Palushi” shpk;
7. Shkëlqim Fusha, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by Article 245 of the Criminal Code, on behalf of the commercial company “Fusha” shpk;
8. Sokol Kryeziu, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by Article 245 of the Criminal Code, on behalf of the commercial company “Gerard-A” shpk;
9. Mirton Lika, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Hiding income”, committed in collaboration, as provided for by Article 180/1 and 25 of the Criminal Code, on behalf of the company “Lani” shpk;
10. Linda Kazani, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, committed in collaboration more than once, and “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by article 287/2 and 245 of the Criminal Code, on behalf of the non-profit organization “Eventus”;
11. Erald Simixhiu, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, committed in collaboration more than once, and “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by article 287/2 and 245 of the Criminal Code, on behalf of the non-profit organization “Muza”;
12. Ina Goxhaj, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, committed in collaboration more than once, and “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by Article 287/2 and 245 of the Criminal Code, on behalf of the non-profit organization “BYL-A”;
13. Frosina Bollo, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by Article 245 of the Criminal Code, on behalf of the non-profit organization “Frobolous”;
14. Valmir Xoxa, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, committed in collaboration more than once, provided for by Article 287/2 of the Criminal Code;
15. Adela Kondakçiu, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, committed in collaboration more than once, provided for by Article 287/2 of the Criminal Code;
16. Klotilda Bushka, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Acts that impede the discovery of the truth”, provided for by Article 301 of the Criminal Code;
17. Flutur Xhani, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Making false statements before a judicial police officer”, provided for by Article 305/bi of the Criminal Code;
18. Fatjon Baci, accused of committing the criminal offense of “Introducing or keeping prohibited items in the institution for the execution of prison sentences”, provided for by article 324/a pgf 2 of the Criminal Code;
19. “Rametal” shpk, under the charge of committing the criminal offense of “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, committed in collaboration more than once, provided for by Article 287/2 of the Criminal Code;
20. “Agi Kons” shpk, under accusation of committing the criminal offense of “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by Article 245 of the Criminal Code;
21. “Kontakt” shpk, under the charge of committing the criminal offense of “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by Article 245 of the Criminal Code;
22. “Palushi” shpk, under accusation of committing the criminal offense of “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by Article 245 of the Criminal Code;
23. “Fusha” shpk, under accusation of committing the criminal offense of “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by Article 245 of the Criminal Code;
24. “Gerard-A”, charged with committing the criminal offense of “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by Article 245 of the Criminal Code;
25. “Lani” shpk, under the charge of committing the criminal offense of “Hiding income”, committed in collaboration, provided for by article 180/1 and 25 of the Criminal Code;
26. NGO “Eventus”, under accusation of committing the criminal offense of “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, committed in collaboration more than once, and “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by article 287/2 and 245 of the Criminal Code;
27. NGO “Muza”, under accusation of committing the criminal offense of “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, committed in collaboration more than once, and “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by article 287/2 and 245 of the Criminal Code;
28. NGO “BYL-A”, under the charge of committing the criminal offense of “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, committed in collaboration more than once, and “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by article 287/2 and 245 of the Criminal Code;
29. NGO “Frobolous”, under accusation of committing the criminal offense of “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, provided for by Article 245 of the Criminal Code;
30. NGO “Harabel”, under accusation of committing the criminal offense of “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, committed in collaboration more than once, provided for by Article 287/2 of the Criminal Code.
At the conclusion of the preliminary investigations, it has been proven that the defendants Erion Veliaj and Ajola Xoxa, in collaboration between them, in 9 separate cases, have received irregular benefits in the form of monetary amounts and real estate, from commercial entities and non-profit organizations (mentioned above), which in turn have obtained construction permits and benefited from public funds from the Municipality of Tirana.
The criminal investigation has collected concrete data, which prove beyond any reasonable doubt, that the defendant Erion Veliaj, in his capacity as Mayor of Tirana, with his signature approved in every case the distribution of these funds, which subsequently ended up with the above-mentioned NGOs, limited liability companies, natural persons controlled by his wife, the defendant Ajola Xoxa, as well as individuals close to her.
Furthermore, these defendants, due to the function performed by citizen Erion Veliaj, have also irregularly benefited from immovable property of considerable value from commercial entities (mentioned above) that have received public funds and building permits from the Municipality of Tirana. In all these episodes, the defendants, in collaboration with each other, have consumed the elements of the criminal offense provided for by Article 260 of the Criminal Code.
The limited liability companies and the aforementioned non-profit organizations, by providing irregular benefits due to the duty performed by the defendant Erion Veliaj, have consumed the elements provided for by Article 245 of the Criminal Code.
The evidence administered has also proven that these defendants, through their illegal actions, carried out in collaboration with the aforementioned NGOs and other persons, have, more than once, integrated into the banking system monetary amounts obtained as irregular benefits, due to their function as Mayor of Tirana. The deposit of these amounts by hiding or covering the true nature of the assets, in the conditions when these assets are known to be the products of a criminal offense under Article 260 of the Criminal Code, has led to the full fulfillment of the elements provided for in letters a) and b) of Article 287 of the Criminal Code, carried out in collaboration and more than once, according to the second paragraph.
This criminal purpose of the defendants would have been impossible to fulfill, without the determining role of other commercial entities, limited liability companies and NGOs. In this sense, the proceeding body has concluded that the NGOs “Harabel”, “Eventus”, “Muza” and “BYL-A”, natural persons such as citizens Valmir Xoxa and Adela Kondakçiu, fully controlled by the defendant, Ajola Xoxa, as well as the citizen, Elman Abule and the company “Rametal” limited liability company, have committed specific illegal actions in terms of laundering the proceeds of the criminal offense, through the transfer of assets with the aim of concealing or covering their illegal origin or integrating the amounts of money into the banking system, knowing that these assets are the proceeds of a criminal offense under Article 260 of the Criminal Code.
From the preliminary investigation, the Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime has provided sufficient evidence to conclude that citizen Ajola Xoxa, herself or through other persons close to her, for a short period of time, made online purchases consisting of personal clothing, in the amount of 86,721,175 lekë.
The collected evidence clearly demonstrates the disposition and circulation of cash, outside the banking system, in significant amounts and in large denominations, by the defendant, Ajola Xoxa, the wife of the local elected official, Erion Veliaj. These amounts, which come as a result of irregular benefits obtained due to her position as mayor of Tirana, were used to feed, among other things, the private commercial activities of entities controlled by the latter's wife, by organizing events, paying salaries, paying insurance, paying rent outside the banking system, etc., thus hiding their true source, the true nature of contractual relationships with other private entities, and consequently avoiding, but not only, the payment of obligations under the tax legislation in force. In this way, the defendant Ajola Xoxa, in collaboration with citizen Mirton Lika, in the capacity of representative of the commercial entity "Lani" shpk, has consumed the elements of the criminal offense provided for by Article 180 of the Criminal Code.
Likewise, the criminal investigation has established a failure to fulfill the legal obligations of the local elected official and the person associated with him, regarding the transparent declaration of assets, thereby concealing them. The defendant Erion Veliaj and the person associated with him, the defendant Ajola Xoxa, have committed concrete actions with the aim of concealing the real estate assets in their actual ownership as well as other property interests which stem from participation in organizations that generate income, thus consuming the elements of the criminal offense provided for by Article 257/a/2 of the Criminal Code.
In addition to the above, the Mayor of Tirana, the defendant Erion Veliaj, in the exercise of his functions, has committed concrete actions in violation of the law, in failure to properly fulfill his duties, in order to obtain material benefits in an unfair manner, but also with concrete consequences to the detriment of the interests of citizens and the state, regarding the approval of a PDV and then the construction permit for a multi-storey residential building, on a plot of land where his wife has property interests. The actions of the local elected official are proven to have been carried out under conditions of conflict of interest, in complete lack of functional competence as well as in violation of the procedures that the law establishes for the approval of an administrative act, such as in the specific case the Detailed Local Plan. In this way, this citizen is proven to have consumed the constituent elements of Article 248 of the Criminal Code.
Criminal proceedings No. 27 of 2024 refers to the following criminal offenses:
“Passive corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, committed in collaboration (9 times), “Active corruption of high-ranking state officials or local elected officials”, “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, committed in collaboration more than once, “Introducing or keeping prohibited items in the institution for the execution of prison sentences”, committed in collaboration, “Refusal to declare, failure to declare, concealment or false declaration of assets, private interests of elected persons and public servants or of any other person who has a legal obligation to declare”, “Concealing income”, “Abuse of office”, “Actions that impede the discovery of the truth” and “False declarations before a judicial police officer”, provided for by articles 260 and 25, 245, 287/2, 324/a/2, 257/a/2, 180/1 and 25, 248, 301 and 305/bi of the Criminal Code.
