The clash within the socialist majority has moved into public view, after Erion Veliaj published a handwritten letter directly rejecting accusations that he organized or financed protests. In the text, the Mayor of Tirana also addresses Edi Rama, demanding proof and rejecting the version that links him to this scenario.
The public letter and the clash with Rama
Veliaj reacted with a handwritten letter in which he presents his version of the meeting with Toni Gogu and at the same time addresses Prime Minister Rama.
At the core of the response is his denial of claims that he organized or financed protests. According to Veliaj, these accusations are not supported by evidence and are being used politically against him.
“I do not throw stones at my socialist home”
In the letter made public, Veliaj uses sharp political language to respond to the accusations circulating against him.
He writes that he does not “throw stones at his socialist home,” while adding that he does not accept having his dignity undermined. In the same response, he compares his position with that of the prime minister, stressing that he has “less freedom,” but “more dignity.”
Denial of the protests and challenge for proof
The strongest point of Veliaj’s response is his rejection of claims that he was behind the protests. He describes these as “Bolshevik hallucinations” and says that if such an accusation exists, it should be backed by concrete evidence.
Veliaj challenges Rama to produce “a single piece of evidence” for the allegations that, according to him, link him to the organization or financing of the protests. This shifts the debate from political rhetoric to a direct confrontation over facts.
What he claims about the meeting with Toni Gogu
In his response, Veliaj says the letter contains the truth about the meeting with Toni Gogu, whom he mentions as a key part of this story.
The text also includes serious claims about orders, transfers and isolation, as well as references to pressure related to possible accusations and criminal consequences. These are claims presented by Veliaj himself in his letter and, at this stage, remain part of the version he has made public.
Going public with a handwritten letter shows that the political conflict is no longer being kept behind party doors, but is unfolding openly and in sharp tones.
For now, Veliaj’s letter raises more questions than it provides final answers, especially regarding the accusations he denies and the episode involving the meeting with Toni Gogu.