Mayor Erion Veliaj reacted again today from his cell, after being imprisoned by order of SPAK on charges of corruption and abuse of office.
In a post on social media, Veliaj says he was attacked because he worked for Tirana. Veliaj added that he rejects the idea, which he says has been created in Albania, that anyone who works should be attacked.
Taking as an example former mayor Lulzim Basha, who according to Veliaj has done nothing for the capital, he added that Albania is made by working people and not by cowards and sycophants.
Even today, he did not spare his attacks on the prosecutor in the case, who he said has filed 2 tragicomic charges against him.
Veliaj's reaction:
Good morning friends!
Before I wish you a good weekend, let me entertain you a little today, with two other charges, both comical in essence and tragic in the fact that they were used to imprison a person elected by the people without trial.
The 20-year vetting, unprecedented for anyone and completely illegal, generated an unprecedented seizure of phones from dozens of citizens, whom I have known in 20 years of living in Tirana and working for Tirana. I believe this is the only democratic country where phones are seized from the streets and not only are they not examined in the eyes of the owner, but all their personal data is being sucked out, while they are also physically held in indefinite detention.
Phone after phone call and follow-up after follow-up, Ols Dado accuses me of having met two foreign agents, Jesus Hernandez and Marco Casamonti, in fact two architects with an international reputation, whom Nesti Kafka should have been honored to shake hands with. And according to my Kafka, I had met them for "sponsorship work", that his tactic is "grab crumbs and leave like a bakery".
Yes, I met both star architects, with great pleasure even - but, not to give you any undeserved favor in order to get some personal favor back, but to give you respect and to get your FREE contribution to Tirana.
Jesus Hernandez designed the “Marubi” museum in Shkodra, a masterpiece. Also the Shiroka square, the stone carpet that won an international award. After we expropriated “Sarajet”, amidst battles and nights to protect the cultural monument from owners who wanted to burn it, I asked him as “sponsorship” for a concept-idea on how we could turn that building into an Ethnographic Museum of Tirana. I have always believed that even foreign architects, who earn from their share of work in Tirana, should give something of themselves to the city, but they have never said no either. I did the same with Elisabetta Terragni, where after “House of Leaves” - another success - I asked her to “sponsor” with the project-idea “Kadare House - Agolli”, which today have emerged as jewels at the Max Velos Palace.
I have asked Marco Casamonti, the designer of the “Arena Kombëtare” stadium, to “sponsor” a pavilion for Tirana at the Venice Biennale for Architecture. Something that has just been confirmed by curator Carlo Ratti - another architect, whom I have asked to “sponsor” Tirana at the Biennale. So, no money, but contributions with project ideas, free of charge from the municipality budget.
It is humiliating that I have to explain these wonders, where Tirana takes, does not give, because I am in prison without trial for these too. In 10 years I have asked everyone to sponsor trees, nurseries, gardens, sports teams, Olympic wrestlers and champion skiers.
I refuse to accept that "you work hard to get what you want in this country," or that "good people get screwed over for the work they do," and I will never accept that asking for the city, not for yourself, is corruption.
So, why was the New Theater needed, look at how many attacks; why 45 new schools, look at how many lawsuits; why 110 nurseries with sponsors, look at how much trouble; why 1.5 million trees planted, look at how much insults; why all these European titles for Tirana, look at how much jealousy.
"Look at Luli," someone said cynically, "he didn't do any work and he didn't earn anything."
I refuse this!
I reject the mentality that if you work, you will be attacked, so don't work. I believe that Albania is driven forward by work and working people, not by the lazy, the cowardly, the jealous, and the greedy.
This is what I believe, and I believe that the good, idealistic, honest majority of the country also believes this.
To all working people, heads up and warm hugs! (A2 Televizion)
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MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
