Veliaj’s absence sparks debate in Tirana Municipal Council: Who has the authority to decide and sign?

Although SPAK did not allow Erion Veliaj to attend the meeting of the Tirana Municipal Council, his name became part of a clash between opposition councillors and Socialist representatives.

The debate focused on the current leadership of the country’s largest municipality and the person exercising the authority to make decisions and sign official acts.

Ilda Zhulali wanted to know who is running the Municipality of Tirana, who approves and signs orders for procurement, investments, salaries and social assistance, and who currently has signing authority at the institution.

Dorjan Teliti responded in harsh tones, declaring that councillors should ask who is running the municipality and rejecting the claim that it is being run by Veliaj, whom he described as a resident of Durrës prison.

Socialist councillor Eridian Salianji deemed these interventions inappropriate and said that the priority should be solving citizens’ problems, not political clashes.

Eridian Salianji: Measures must be taken and we must proceed with approving economic assistance, without turning this chamber into an interview space. The mayor is Erion Veliaj, who was elected by the citizens of Tirana.

Opposition: The one you dismissed.

Eridian Salianji also requested, on behalf of the Socialist group, that the interruption of speech during the session be followed by a vote. According to him, the council should focus on resolving citizens’ concerns, and approving the acts is more important than political debates.

Among the issues discussed was also the draft law on the administrative-territorial division.

The councillors also considered the proposal to award honorary titles to four KLA leaders, Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi, as well as the reward for firefighters who faced the wildfire situation.