After Nine Months in Prison Democratically Elected Mayor of Tirana, Albania, Erion Veliaj Speaks for Nine Minutes at the Albanian Constitutional Court and Wins Back His Office - Kasowitz and Mishcon de Reya Law Firms Hail It as a Victory for the Rule of Law

TIRANA, Albania, Nov. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday, 3 November 2025, the Constitutional Court of Albania overturned the Tirana Municipal Council's dismissal of Erion Veliaj and formally reinstated him as Mayor, halting the city's planned special elections and marking a pivotal moment for democratic governance in Albania.

The decision is a major breakthrough in a nine-month legal and political battle arising from Veliaj's detention and subsequent removal from office.  The Court ruled that the Municipal Council had acted unconstitutionally when it cited Veliaj's involuntary detention as the reason for his removal. The Court's ruling re-affirms the basic constitutional principle that an elected official's mandate cannot be terminated without due process.

Appearing publicly for the first time since his arrest, Veliaj delivered an emotional nine-minute address before the Court.  "I waited nine months to speak for nine minutes," he began, before underscoring the pretextual nature of the state's attempt to remove him from office:

"You can imprison a person, but not their truth.  And the truth is that my absence has not been a choice, but a consequence of an isolation imposed by the state, through a disproportionate decision … which deprived me not only of my freedom, but also of my city, before any guilt was proven. . . Do we perhaps want to legitimize the idea that any elected official can be removed from duty through a temporary arrest, without a guilty verdict, taking from the people the mandate that they themselves gave with a free vote?"

Veliaj also condemned the process that stripped him of his mandate, remarking that "two injustices do not produce justice."  He urged the Court to "protect together the democracy that is being tested."

Daniel Fetterman of Kasowitz LLP, international counsel to Mayor Veliaj, said: "This is a tremendous victory for Erion.  But not just for him.  It is a victory for all of the citizens of Tirana and a victory for the rule of law and democracy worldwide."

Observers see the Constitutional Court's decision as a defining milestone in Albania's efforts to strengthen its commitment to the rule of law and in Mayor Veliaj's fight to continue serving the citizens of Tirana and transforming it into a world class city and a hospitable European destination.

The Kasowitz team includes partners Daniel J. Fetterman and Brian S. Choi in New York, and senior counsel Clarine Nardi Riddle and special counsel David Miller in Washington, D.C.

The Mishcon de Reya team includes partners James Libson and Ben Brandon, managing associate Celia Marr, and associates Grace Houghton and Elizabeth Fitton.

Contact Information:
Shannon O'Reilly
(212) 547-1290
SOReilly@kasowitz.com

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