A senior political figure has questioned whether the continued detention of the Mayor of Albania’s capital city is “strictly necessary.”
Erion Veliaj has remained nominally in office as mayor of Tirana despite being held in what is known as pre-trial detention (PTD) since February 2025.
He is accused of corruption and money laundering but strongly denies any wrong doing.
The latest in a protracted series of court cases takes place on 15 September when his case will be considered by Albania’s Supreme Court.
This comes after the country’s Constitutional Court recently called for a review as required by Albania’s constitution.
The hearing has assumed particular importance as it is a review of both his pretrial detention and its proportionality.
The mayor’s local lawyer Plarent Ndreca said, “Following the Constitutional Court’s judgment, the legal basis for maintaining Mr Veliaj in detention has fundamentally changed.”
In an exclusive interview with this website, a senior figure with the European Democratic Party said the case “raises serious questions of necessity and proportionality.”
Sandro Gozi, the party’s Secretary-General and also a French MEP with Renew Europe, a mainstream group in the European Parliament, suggested his continued detention may be “excessive.”
This site asked Gozi what specific concerns he had about the case.
He said, “Let me be very clear: fighting corruption is essential, particularly in a country seeking EU membership, and asking for respect for the rule of law can never mean asking for impunity.
“Serious allegations must be investigated and prosecuted independently, whoever is involved. But the rule of law also means proportionality, due process and the presumption of innocence.”
He pointed out that Veliaj has been in pre-trial detention since February 2025, adding, “and after such a long period it is legitimate to ask whether continued detention remains strictly necessary or whether alternative measures could be used.”
Some have argued the case “shines a light” on current flaws in the judiciary and rule of law in Albania.
On this,Gozi, secretary general since 2021, said , “One case cannot define an entire judicial system, and Albania has made important progress in fighting corruption.”
He added, “However, there is a broader issue that deserves attention: Council of Europe SPACE data show that 58% of Albania’s prison population was being held without a final sentence, the highest proportion in Europe, compared with a European average of 29%.
“The same analysis notes that very high levels of pre-trial detention can be associated with slow proceedings or an excessive reliance on detention as a precautionary measure.”
The MEP said, “These are concerns Albania should address as part of its European path.”
Albania is a leading front runner to join the EU, possibly as soon as 2030, and is lauded for closing most of the negotiating chapters required for EU membership although some say ongoing issues with its judiciary may slow progress towards accession.
Gozi, a member of Mouvement Democrate in France, said, “I strongly support Albania’s European perspective, but accession must remain merit-based.
“No judicial system is perfect, including those of existing Member States, but respect for the rule of law, judicial independence and fundamental rights must be firmly guaranteed before accession,” added the Euro deputy, who chairs the Delegation to the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly.
Asked about the use of PTD in the case of the mayor, not least as an elected official, and also the time taken for his case to come to trial,he said, “Eighteen months of pre-trial detention is an extremely long period and raises serious questions of necessity and proportionality.
“This concern remains entirely unchanged regardless of Mr Veliaj’s political position.”
The MEP, who is from Italy and was former Undersecretary of State for European Affairs in the Matteo Renzi and Paolo Gentiloni governments, declined to be drawn the length of time the case was taking to come to court, saying, “I will not speculate on allegations concerning an independent court.”
The European Democratic Party also recently posted a statement on the case which pointed out the mayor had been as been in PTD
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