The Municipality of Tirana has been plunged into a deep administrative crisis following a decision by Mayor Erion Veliaj to revoke powers previously delegated to Deputy Mayor Anuela Ristani.
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Veliaj has been in pre-trial detention for more than a year and a half. According to the information published on the municipality's public notice boards, the order stripped Ristani of the authority to sign and issue documents on behalf of the municipality.
Ristani subsequently resigned from her position after approximately a decade working at the institution.
Key municipal services reportedly blocked
The decision has reportedly created significant administrative difficulties, as a number of decisions and documents require the signature of the mayor or an officially authorized representative.
Among the services reportedly affected are economic assistance payments, August salaries for municipal employees, preparations for the new school year, the “after-school” program, cleaning contracts and deadlines related to construction taxes.
The situation has raised questions about how the municipality can continue to carry out essential administrative functions while its mayor remains in detention and the previously delegated powers have been revoked.
Veliaj's lawyer arrives at municipality
Amid the administrative deadlock, Plarent Ndreca, the lawyer representing Erion Veliaj, reportedly visited the Municipality of Tirana.
Ndreca held meetings at the institution to examine possible legal solutions for dealing with urgent documents and decisions that require the mayor's signature while Veliaj remains in detention.
The involvement of Veliaj's lawyer adds another layer to an already complicated situation, as the municipality seeks a legal mechanism to prevent essential services from being disrupted.
Ndreca himself faces criminal proceedings
Plarent Ndreca is also a figure who has faced criminal proceedings in a separate case.
According to the Special Prosecution Office (SPAK), Ndreca has been formally charged and the case has been sent to trial over allegations concerning the violation of equality among participants in public tenders or auctions.
The accusations relate to the period when Ndreca served as Secretary General of Albania's Ministry of Interior.
The case concerns alleged irregularities in tender funds allocated for the reconstruction of four police stations — in Vlorë, Mirditë, Pogradec and Police Station No. 4 in Tirana.
The allegations against Ndreca remain subject to judicial proceedings and have not been established as final criminal convictions.
A growing institutional dilemma
The situation at Tirana Municipality highlights a broader institutional dilemma: how a major local government can continue making legally valid decisions when its elected mayor is in detention and delegated signing powers have been withdrawn.
The immediate challenge is finding a lawful mechanism that allows essential municipal services to continue without bypassing legal procedures.
Any solution will have to reconcile the municipality's need to function with the legal restrictions surrounding Veliaj's detention and the authority to sign official acts on his behalf.