Tirana is facing an open institutional deadlock after Erion Veliaj, from pretrial detention, revoked the delegation of powers to Anuela Ristani. On paper, the mayor remains in office; in practice, the normal running of the city remains blocked and without a clear answer for citizens.
The delegation was revoked, uncertainty deepened
Veliaj’s decision to remove Anuela Ristani from the role of acting mayor has left the chain of command at Tirana Municipality even more unclear. Powers had been delegated to her since February 2025, but that authorization has now been withdrawn.
The political fact remains simple: the capital is in a situation where the legal mayor exists, but the normal exercise of the office is impossible. This turns the city’s day-to-day administration into a serious question mark.
Political clashes and Veliaj’s written version
The move was immediately read as a new episode of tension between Veliaj and Edi Rama, especially by the opposition. However, claims of an open political clash have not been publicly proven so far.
What does exist is Veliaj’s order, which argues that the administration to which the powers had been delegated was not informing him, was not coordinating with him, and was not implementing his instructions. This is the formal basis on which he decided to revoke the delegation.
A municipality with a signature, but without normal leadership
The current situation highlights a problem that cannot be solved through legal wording. Veliaj, even from pretrial detention, can sign and make decisions, but he cannot normally run Tirana Municipality.
For the city, this translates into uncertainty over day-to-day decision-making. Services, traffic management, cleanliness and the continuation of investments require functional leadership, not an administration moving between revoked delegations and political uncertainty.
Citizens seek accountability from the center
In reactions gathered on the streets of Tirana, without claiming statistical representation, the name mentioned most often as the address of responsibility was that of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
This perception is linked to the dominant role Rama has had for years in the governing majority and in the country’s political leadership. When power is politically centralized, it is difficult to distribute responsibility only to local levels whenever a crisis erupts.
Justice is investigating, but politics cannot hide
Veliaj’s criminal case falls within the domain of the justice system, and the accusations against him must be proven or dismissed in court. But the criminal investigation does not replace the day-to-day running of a municipality that carries the country’s main weight.
This is where the political burden of the government and the majority begins. If Veliaj continues to have support as mayor, then an institutional solution is required that gives Tirana clear direction, without hiding behind procedures and without interfering in the judicial process.
At its core, the question remains the same: who bears real responsibility for Tirana today?
Until there is a clear institutional answer, the city remains caught between a mayor who cannot normally exercise his duties and an administration that appears to be without a clear political and functional compass.