Erion Veliaj Sends Political Message from Fier Prison to Socialist Party Members, Calls for No-Confidence Motion Against Edi Rama
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Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj has sent a personal SMS to members of the National Assembly of Albania’s ruling Socialist Party (SP), sharing a political speech from Fier Prison in which he calls for an open debate on the party’s leadership and demands that the statutory procedure for a no-confidence motion against party chairman Edi Rama be activated.
In his speech, titled “The Socialist Party Is Bigger Than Its Chairman,” Veliaj delivers a sharp assessment of the party's internal functioning, questioning its leadership structure, decision-making processes and political direction.
He contrasts what he describes as the Socialist Party's earlier culture of debate, solidarity and merit-based advancement with what he sees today as increasingly centralized and clientelist decision-making, weakened collective institutions and limited space for dissenting opinions.
“When I joined the Socialist Party 17 years ago, we were the party of hope. Today, we have become a party of concealment, hesitation and fear,” Veliaj states in his speech.
The Tirana mayor also questions how ministers and parliamentary candidates are selected, while raising concerns about the actual authority exercised by the party's National Assembly, Presidency and parliamentary group.
He argues that although the prime minister holds constitutional powers, this does not exempt him from political accountability to the party that secured the mandate to govern the country.
Veliaj Accuses Rama of Political Interference and Seeks Parliamentary Investigation
A significant part of Veliaj's speech focuses on what he describes as political interference by the prime minister in local government and efforts to undermine his political position.
He refers to his dismissal by the Council of Ministers, a decision that was subsequently annulled by Albania's Constitutional Court.
Veliaj also repeats allegations concerning his transfer from the detention facility in Durrës to Fier. He claims that Justice Minister representatives conveyed threats on behalf of Edi Rama, allegedly warning of a worsening criminal position and harsher detention conditions unless he resigned from his mayoral mandate.
These allegations are claims made by Veliaj and have not been independently established in the information provided.
He is calling for the matter to be examined through a parliamentary investigative commission, insisting that the process should be transparent and open to public scrutiny.
With his message addressed directly to the Socialist Party's National Assembly members, Veliaj is seeking to turn the party's internal debate into a formal discussion about its leadership and political accountability.
His speech places Edi Rama's leadership and the future direction of the Socialist Party at the centre of an increasingly public internal confrontation.