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The "5D" affair, Le Courrier des Balkans: The opposition demands the resignation of the mayor of Tirana

The "5D" affair, Le Courrier des Balkans: The opposition demands the

Le Courrier des Balkans

By Katerina Sula

The new protest in Tirana to demand the resignation of the mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj and his indictment for the fraud affair of the company 5D Konstruksion and the incinerator of Tirana.

For the second time in a few days, hundreds of people gathered on April 11 in front of Tirana's town hall, with the call of the two main opposition parties, the Democratic Party (PD) led by Sali Berisha and the Freedom Party. PL) of former president Ilir Meta.

In the mobilization, several civic groups have also been involved, invested for several years in the protection of the National Theater and against the destruction of the buildings in the city center that have been replaced by multi-storey buildings. Faced with a heavy security presence, clashes broke out between some demonstrators and police officers.

This demonstration was called following the arrest at the beginning of April of several directors and former municipal directors suspected of corruption, money laundering and conflict of interest, after an investigation by Spak prosecutors, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. According to the opposition parties, the mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, is also involved in the scandal.

The "5D" affair, Le Courrier des Balkans: The opposition demands the

At the end of March, the Special Prosecutor's Office against Crime and Corruption ordered the arrest of several directors and former directors of the Municipality of Tirana, all of whom were among his close associates who participated in his election campaign. Also, Spak ordered the presentation of other employees, suspected of passive corruption, concealment and non-declaration of assets, violation of equality in offers, related to the affair of the 5D Construction company.

Last December, the Special Court had already issued about fifteen arrest warrants, as part of the investigation of the incinerator from Tirana. The investigation, carried out over three years, revealed how millions of euros were spent from the state budget and the Municipality of Tirana for a phantom waste incinerator. The General Director of Public Works in Tirana, Taulant Tushe, is in prison today.

Although he expressed himself as "irritated" by these accusations against his former colleagues, Erion Veliaj, who is close to Prime Minister Edi Rama, is addressing the courts, ruling out any intention to resign. For their part, the opposition and civic groups call for the continuation of the movement, warning of other gatherings in the following days.

 

 

 

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2025-02-15 13:01:41