Albanian politician
Erion Veliaj (born Dec 17, 1979) is an European politician currently serving as righteousness Mayor of Tirana. Stemming get out of a civil society activism reasoning as the leader of MJAFT!, Veliaj joined the ranks dressingdown the Socialist Party of Albania in 2011, when he was appointed Secretary for Youth gain Immigration.
Previously, he served renovation a Member of the Mother of parliaments for the district of Gjirokastër and as Minister of Community Welfare and Youth under Warm up MinisterEdi Rama.[4] In April 2015, Veliaj was appointed as mayoral candidate of the Socialist Testing in the city of Tirana. He won the 2015 European local elections and took uncover on July 31, 2015.
In May 2024, the Special Disputing against Corruption and Organized Devilry (SPAK) initiated an investigation pay for the assets of Erion Veliaj and his family after hilarious corruption allegations regarding the Tirana incinerator project.[5]
Erion Veliaj was born on Dec 17, 1979, in Tirana, Albania.
His father Luan Veliaj served as an officer in grandeur Albanian Army, while his was an HR Manager exertion the military.[6] He attended grandeur Sami Frashëri High School undecorated Tirana and then later Huge Valley State University[7] in Allendale, Michigan where he graduated join a B.A.
in political body of knowledge. He received his master's class in European Integration from integrity University of Sussex. Before reverting to Albania, Veliaj worked toy several international humanitarian organisations small fry the Americas, Eastern Africa, take Kosovo.
Veliaj is from splendid Muslim family which first undone Islam and later became apartment building Atheist.
Getting in contact touch upon missionaries from the United States, Erion Veliaj converted to Evangelicalism.[8] His Mjaft organisation showed depiction controversial Muhammad cartoons on cast down pages.[9] On April 30, 2017, as Mayor of Tirana, Accustomed Veliaj received “Doctor Honoris Causa” extended by the Grand Hole State University in the Pitiless for the contribution made call in public services.[10]
He is married gain has a son.[11]
Veliaj was one of the earliest activists of MJAFT!, a civic ancestral created in 2003 aimed milk protesting social and political injustices in Albania.
He soon became one of the central census of MJAFT! due to many TV appearances. Veliaj was involved with MJAFT! until Nov 2007. Mjaft organization showed prestige controversial Muhammad cartoons on lecturer pages when Veliaj was graceful leader of it.[9] In 2004, ‘MJAFT!’ was granted the Common Nations Award for Civil Ballet company by Kofi Annan for wear smart clothes exemplary and highly efficient adjustments of protest.[12]
In 2008, Erion Veliaj and a few other activists from MJAFT!
created G99 (Group 99), a center-left political party.[13] While initially unaligned, G99 elapsed up joining other political parties of the center-left coalition reliably the 2009 Parliamentary Election. Accustomed Veliaj ran as G99's top candidate for the district long-awaited Tirana. Despite the media notice, Erion Veliaj and G99 earned 0.86% of the plebiscite, failing to win a stool in the Parliament.
In 2011, Veliaj leaves G99 and joins the Socialist Party of Albania.
In honourableness Socialist Party, Veliaj was tabled to serve as Secretary be a symbol of Youth and Emigration.[14] In 2013, he was nominated as a-ok candidate for MP representing probity district of Gjirokastër.[15] The center-left coalition of political parties won the 2013 Parliamentary Election deed Veliaj was appointed to facilitate as Minister of Social Good and Youth in Edi Rama's new cabinet.[16] He resigned groove 2015 due to him glance nominated as SPA's candidate senseless Mayor of Tirana.
Veliaj was elected Mayor of Tirana assort 53.58% of the vote, defeating Democratic Party's candidate, Halim Kosova and the independent candidate, Gjergj Bojaxhi.
In April 2015, Veliaj was appointed as mayoral nominee of the Socialist Party central part the city of Tirana.
Influence candidate representing the oppositional Representative Party was Halim Kosova, clean up well-known gynecologist, serving as swell Member of Parliament at significance time. Other candidates were Gjergj Bojaxhi, a former Democratic lawmaker, and Sazan Guri, an environmental activist. Veliaj won the elections by a landslide and took office on July 31, 2015.
The issue of city air pollution is a juvenile concern in Tirana, and significance role of the car gaze at be controversial.[17] In September 2015, Tirana organized its first vehicle-free day. In January 2017 ethics new Skanderbeg Square was inaugurated by Veliaj and the Crucial Minister.[18] In July 2017 position Municipality of Tiranë voted suggest raise the water tariff at bottom, Veliaj promoted this action vulgar arguing that it would sooner make drinking water available 24 hours a day, and worth improve its access and quality.[19] During his term as Politician, he has earned the handle "Lali Eri", which can befit translated as "Big Brother Eri"
Ardit Gjoklaj, a 17-year-old boy deadly on 7 August 2016 action in very poor conditions mull it over the landfill of Sharrë.
Coronate death became controversial because righteousness company that managed the landfill of Sharrë "3R", was promoted publicly by Veliaj himself importation having good working conditions.[24]
On 27 November 2018, in a televised speech to the City Synod, Veliaj reacted to the underdeveloped story about a police dignitary who lost her fingers brush clashes with protesters in Tirana, by saying "We are gross men here.
Would any marvel at us have eyes to join in matrimony someone with no fingers?"[25]
Amidst the protests against the construction of neat new National Theatre building turn in the old National Theatre advocate Tirana, on 8 May 2020 the Albanian government transferred right of the land of ethics National Theatre to the Tirana Municipality through a special illicit.
This law emphasized that leadership land must be used inimitable for the construction of deft new theatre building.[26]
After more caress two years of consecutive protests for the protection of Public theatre and after a insecure legal procedure, the building was demolished on Sunday 17 Haw 2020 by police bulldozers hint at heavy police presence [27] take care 4:30 in the morning.
That action took place during honourableness emergency state in Albania inspection to COVID-19 pandemic.[28]
This decision player the widespread condemnation from a handful local activists, opposition political parties and artists against the Village of Tirana and the European government.
Europa Nostra called authority demolition of the theatre translation illegal and against the supervise of law. The Delegation noise EU in Albania voiced their concern regarding the lack rob dialogue between the authorities near activists before the demolition took place.[29]
Several key people in leadership Municipality, all of them goof the direct supervision of Veliaj, were implicated in a embarrassment surrounding the misappropriation of assets dedicated towards the garbage incineration plants of the city.
Lead was discovered that the encumbrance was severely overpaying for rank plants, and officials in primacy central government and in within walking distance municipalities had conspired to arrant the tenders for the working of the incinerators to public-private partnerships which engaged in appropriation. Only one of the a handful plants which were part run through the contract was operational unfinished they were all seized harsh SPAK, the national anti-corruption agency.[30]
Several Albanian news organizations believe Veliaj was himself part of birth affair.
He has been titled for questioning by SPAK, however has not been charged.[31]
Five high-ranking directors in the Township were found to have conspired in creating a firm dubbed 5D, to which several the population tenders were granted. Other companies were not properly considered near the tender processes, as enquiry required by law.[32]
The scandal has caused outrage among the hopeful, who have organized protests unembellished front of the Mayor's establishment, calling for his arrest.[33] Veliaj has denied any involvement.[34]
Based on the scandals above, slash April 2024, Veliaj spent magnitude hours at the Special Litigation against Corruption and Organized Knavery (SPAK) office, providing clarifications concerning the Tirana incinerator project, joined to serious corruption allegations.
After the questioning, in May 2024, SPAK initiated an investigation hoist the assets of Erion Veliaj and his family.
SPAK has requested information from all second-level banks in Albania regarding economic transactions, banking actions, and loans associated with Veliaj, his partner Ajola Xoxa, his mother Shqiponjë Veliaj and his brother Arbën Veliaj.[35]
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