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"My brother has made 32 million euros", the journalist reveals the wealth of Veliaj and his family members

Politiko 2024-12-09 22:10:03

"My brother has made 32 million euros", the journalist reveals the

Journalist Ola Xama revealed with concrete figures the wealth of Mayor Veliaj and his family.

After the BKH checks on Veliaj's family members, as part of the ongoing wealth investigation against the mayor, Xama told MCN that the mayor's wealth seems modest, but that of his brother is staggering.

Xama said that in ten years, Arbër Veliaj's Gogel company has generated 32 million euros, while in 2014 it had a turnover of 240 thousand euros.

"Erion Veliaj's declared assets until 2022 are an apartment, 111 square meters. He is co-owner of another apartment with Ajola Xoxa, 162 square meters, and income from salary and bonuses. These are the declared assets, amounting to 31 thousand euros per year from salaries and bonuses. 16 thousand euros from bonuses and 15 thousand euros from salary. So Mr. Veliaj earns more by traveling abroad than by exercising his duties as mayor.

If we look at the family's wealth, we will find that there are assets in real estate and in the wife's bank account. Xoxa's wealth is based on consulting contracts, serving in a law office, but also in a publishing house, where she was an heir. She has declared that she inherited 200 thousand euros from her father and her annual income amounts to 40-50 thousand euros per year. From an account for 2022, Xoxa has generated income from salaries, rent and others, in the amount of 41,800 euros. 26 thousand euros went to a bank deposit and the rest to live, so she spends about 1250 euros per month.

The largest wealth we have ascertained is that of the brother, Arbër Veliaj. He bought 10% of Google shares for 100 euros. The company generated revenue of 100 thousand euros in 2011 and earned 20-30 thousand euros.

If we look at the rise of the Gogel company, it happens after Arbër Veliaj becomes 100% shareholder of the company and is linked to his brother's political career. In 2014, Gogel doubled its turnover to 230 thousand euros. Then 430 thousand euros. From 2016 to 2022, the average turnover was 3 million euros per year and peaked in 2023, with 8 million euros in turnover. If we add them up, there are approximately 32 million euros in money that the Gogel shpk company, owned by Erion Veliaj's brother, has generated. So 32 million euros in turnover in ten years. If we were to do an analysis, we would have questions about how only relatives of people in power have successful companies. SPAK will look at the clients of the Gogel company, whether they have a conflict of interest and are beneficiaries of Tirana Municipality funds.

Veliaj's family members cannot be separated from Mr. Veliaj in the investigation. Only if they committed a crime that was unrelated to Veliaj would they be investigated by a district prosecutor. We understand that the suspect in corrupt affairs, etc., is Mr. Veliaj, but the financial gain was made through the assets of his family members.

"Even the law on asset declaration, there are many areas where you can declare confidential income that is not public. There are some areas where we don't know all the assets they own. But that's what they are obliged to declare ," said Xama.