Prime Minister Edi Rama has avoided comments on the clash with Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, who from prison has leveled accusations against the head of government for pressures and demands conveyed through the Minister of Justice, Toni Gogu.
During the joint press conference with the European Union Ambassador, Sofia Moreira de Sousa, after the submission of the Progress Report for Albania, Rama was asked by journalists about Veliaj's claims, but chose not to give a direct answer.
"They are like the noises of cars coming and going on the Boulevard. As important as they are for us who are here, the things you asked are just as important to me," the prime minister declared.
Rama's reaction comes after accusations made public by Veliaj, who claims that the Minister of Justice, Toni Gogu, has forwarded three requests on behalf of the prime minister.
According to Veliaj, the first demand was to admit involvement in organizing or financing student protests and the “Flamingot” movement. The second demand, according to him, was related to the delegation of the leadership of the Tirana Municipality to Arbër Hajdari, while the third was related to the dismissal of his lawyer, Plarent Ndreca.
The mayor also claimed that, in case of refusal, he was faced with the possibility of aggravated criminal charges against him, including that of violating the constitutional order, as well as the prospect of a long prison sentence.
On November 4, through his lawyer Plarent Ndreca, Veliaj published several pages from his personal diary, where he disputed the demands he claims were made to him. He denied any involvement in the anti-government protests and refused to delegate his powers to the head of the Tirana Municipality.
"You threw it at me once, shame on you, but the second time, shame on me," Veliaj wrote in one of the published notes, opposing the alleged request for the delegation of the municipality's leadership.
Veliaj has stated that he will not submit to pressure or blackmail, while expressing support for lawyer Plarent Ndreca, excluding the possibility of his removal from legal defense.
Meanwhile, lawyer Ndreca announced that the mayor has been transferred to the hospital facilities of the Fier prison due to a fractured leg, raising concerns about delays in conducting medical examinations.
Veliaj's allegations of pressure and interference in his legal process remain independently unconfirmed accusations, while Prime Minister Rama has chosen not to comment on them publicly.
