On December 6, agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (BKH) carried out a search at the residence of Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj in the Kodra e Diellit area. Acting under a decision from the Special Court for Corruption and Organized Crime, they were authorized to search the premises and seize the phone of Ajola Xoxa, Veliaj’s wife.
Morning raid at the Veliaj residence
At the time of the search, Xoxa was home alone and delayed the agents until her lawyer arrived to oversee the operation. Veliaj was reportedly in Hamburg for a meeting and returned later in the day.
Extended searches
Following the search at the Veliaj residence, BKH agents also inspected Xoxa’s legal office, art galleries managed by her, companies linked to Veliaj’s brother Arbër Veliaj, villas in Qerret, and other business premises.
Veliaj’s public response
In a public statement days later, Veliaj claimed that the searches were conducted without proper judicial authorization, calling the agents “intruders.” He wrote:
“Despite the absence of a court order to enter my home and the inconvenience caused to the neighborhood where we have lived for 12 years, my wife was fully cooperative and transparent with the investigative team.”
Court-authorized search and investigation
Contrary to Veliaj’s claims, the Special Court had indeed authorized the search. Below is the full text of the court decision, revealing the evidence that prompted the investigation and the search warrants.
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Full Court Decision on the Authorization of Searches in Erion Veliaj’s Case
Special Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organized Crime
Presiding Judge: Atalanta Zeqiraj
On December 5, 2024, in closed chambers and without the presence of the parties or the court secretary, the court reviewed criminal request no. 698 (case file) presented by:
Applicant: The Special Prosecution Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), represented by prosecutors Mr. Altin Dumani and Mr. Ols Dado.
Object: Authorization for personal, property, and premises searches.
Legal Basis: Articles 202, 202/a, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 298 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The court, in compliance with Article 202/a, paragraph 3 of the Criminal Procedure Code, after reviewing the request and examining all submitted acts and case details, finds as follows:
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I. Circumstances of the Case
1. The Special Prosecution Office (SPAK) submitted a criminal request registered under no. 698.
2. SPAK registered criminal proceeding no. 27/2024 based on a criminal complaint. The proceeding concerns the alleged offense of “Passive corruption of high state officials or locally elected officials,” as stipulated under Article 260 of the Penal Code.
In the course of the investigation, SPAK has conducted various investigative actions. Based on the data gathered, the following findings have been made:
Close family members and other relatives of the Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, have unlawfully benefited from certain businesses and individuals with direct interests in the Tirana Municipality.
Evidence suggests close ties between these individuals and activities linked to local governance, materializing into illicit financial or property benefits.
The investigation has identified questionable financial transactions, dubious contracts, and suspected fictitious invoices executed through companies registered to or effectively controlled by Veliaj’s close relatives and associates.
These transactions are believed to be part of a sophisticated financial structure designed to integrate illicit funds into the banking system, effectively concealing their unlawful origin.
3. On December 5, 2024, SPAK submitted a request to the court seeking authorization for:
Authorization for personal searches of:
i. Ajola Xoxa
ii. Arbër Veliaj
iii. Elman Abule
iv. Marisa Nito
v. Adela Kondakçiu
vi. Driant Zeneli
Authorization for searches of premises, including:
Offices of PARTNERS LAW SHPK, Nan Gallery SHPK, Ava Studio SHPK, and other businesses as listed in the request.
Residential properties, including villas in Qerret and Kodra e Diellit owned by Arbër Veliaj.
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II. Court’s Assessment
The court reviewed the acts and evidence submitted by SPAK and concluded that the requested searches were necessary to secure evidence critical to the ongoing investigation.
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III. Court Decision
The court authorizes SPAK to:
1. Conduct personal searches of the individuals listed above to locate and secure evidence related to the alleged offense.
2. Search the premises, offices, and residential properties mentioned in the request, including electronic devices, financial documents, and other relevant materials.
3. Seize any items or evidence directly related to the criminal investigation.
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Judge’s Signature:
ATALANTA ZEQIRAJ