Plarent Ndreca, the lawyer representing Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, said on the programme “Opinion” that Prime Minister Edi Rama had called him today and that their conversation had been tense, escalating to serious insults.
According to the former Socialist Party MP, Rama sees him as encouraging Veliaj’s independence and his move away from the prime minister’s authority.
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Recounting the conversation, Ndreca said the prime minister had expressed dissatisfaction with his role as a political adviser, believing that he had pushed Veliaj to act independently of Rama. The lawyer also clarified that the mayor’s legal defence team consists not only of him but of a large group of advisers.
These statements come at a time when relations between Rama and Veliaj appear to be going through a difficult period. The mayor has alleged that the prime minister, through Justice Minister Toni Gogu, pressured him to step down as head of Tirana Municipality and admit involvement in the flamingo protests.
Gogu has confirmed visiting Veliaj at the pretrial detention facility in Fier but has denied the other allegations.
