In an official letter sent from pretrial detention in Fier, Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj is asking to attend the National Assembly meeting of the Socialist Party, scheduled for November 14.
Veliaj today addressed the Socialist Party’s Secretary General, Blendi Klosi, and the prosecutor handling his case at SPAK, requesting that he be allowed to attend the meeting in person or, if that is not possible, by videoconference.
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In his request, Veliaj stresses that the security measure of “imprisonment” should not deprive him of the political and statutory rights he holds as a member of the National Assembly, the Socialist Party’s Presidency and the party’s leadership structures in Tirana.
He asks to be given the opportunity to follow the discussions, speak, submit proposals and take part in decision-making, arguing that restrictions on freedom of movement do not automatically mean the loss of these rights.
Veliaj also asks SPAK to consider the request urgently and coordinate with the prison authorities to make his participation possible.
In the letter, he emphasizes that he is not seeking to change or suspend the security measure, but only to ensure that he can exercise his political rights while observing the legal restrictions of pretrial detention.
FULL LETTER
Fier, November 10, 2026
TO:
The Secretary General of the Socialist Party of Albania
The prosecutor handling the case at the Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK)
FOR INFORMATION:
General Directorate of Prisons
Fier Prison Administration
SUBJECT: Urgent request to ensure my participation and exercise of statutory rights at the meeting of the National Assembly of the Socialist Party on November 14, 2026, in person or, alternatively, by videoconference.
Dear Secretary General,
Dear Prosecutor,
The meeting of the National Assembly of the Socialist Party of Albania, the party’s most important political leadership and decision-making body between congresses, has been announced for November 14, 2026.
I am a member of the National Assembly and the Socialist Party’s Presidency, the party’s political leader for Tirana County and chair of the Socialist Party in Tirana, as well as the elected mayor of Tirana. Accordingly, my participation in this meeting is directly connected to the exercise of the rights arising from my membership and positions in the party’s leadership bodies.
I am currently being held in pretrial detention at Fier Prison under the personal security measure imposed on me. This circumstance restricts my freedom of movement, but does not, in itself, entail the loss of my political and statutory rights, insofar as exercising them is compatible with the lawful restrictions arising from the security measure and the pretrial detention regime. The right to organize and participate in political life is protected by the Constitution and international conventions. Articles 17 and 46 of the Constitution, as well as Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, require that restrictions on the exercise of these rights have a legal basis and comply with the principle of proportionality.
My participation in the National Assembly meeting is particularly important, as I intend to personally present my positions, proposals and requests on matters concerning the functioning of the Socialist Party, the discharge of responsibilities by its bodies and the future of the political organization to which I belong.
For these reasons, I request that I be allowed to participate in the National Assembly meeting on November 14, 2026, preferably in person or, if that cannot be arranged, through a live audiovisual link.
I. REQUEST TO THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY
As the authority responsible for organizing and coordinating the activities of the party’s bodies, I ask you to take the organizational and technical measures necessary to ensure my effective participation in the National Assembly meeting.
In particular, I request:
1. That I be formally notified of the time, location, agenda and documents to be considered at the November 14, 2026, meeting.
2. That arrangements be made to allow me to attend in person, if authorized by the competent authorities.
3. Alternatively, that the technical infrastructure be provided for a live videoconference link with me from Fier Prison, allowing me to follow the discussions, speak, submit proposals and exercise the other rights granted to me under the Statute.
4. That arrangements be coordinated in advance with the administration of Fier Prison and the General Directorate of Prisons to establish the audiovisual link while respecting the institution’s security requirements.
5. If my direct participation cannot be arranged, that I be allowed to submit my written position to the Assembly and have it recorded in the meeting’s documentation, without treating this alternative as an automatic substitute for my right to participate.
Participation in a collegial body is not limited to being informed of its decisions. It includes a genuine opportunity to listen, be heard, discuss and take part in decision-making in accordance with the statutory rules.
II. REQUEST TO THE PROSECUTOR HANDLING THE CASE
As I am subject to the personal security measure of “imprisonment,” I ask you to urgently consider the legal possibility of my attending the National Assembly meeting in person and, within your authority, grant the relevant approval or promptly refer the request to the competent decision-making authority. If in-person attendance cannot be arranged, I request that my participation by videoconference from the premises of Fier Prison be considered and enabled.
This alternative does not require me to leave the institution, does not interfere with enforcement of the security measure and can be arranged under the supervision of the prison administration, in compliance with legal and security requirements. I emphasize that my request is not intended to change, suspend or circumvent the personal security measure. It seeks only a proportionate way for me to exercise a political and statutory right without undermining the legitimate objectives of pretrial detention. For this reason, I ask that any restriction or refusal be based on a specific legal provision, be reasoned, and take into account the possibility of remote participation as a less restrictive alternative.
III. URGENCY OF THE REVIEW
As the National Assembly meeting is scheduled for November 14, 2026, I request that this application be considered immediately and that the decision be communicated to me with sufficient time to organize my participation. The absence of a response before the meeting would make it practically impossible for me to exercise my right to participate in a specific political decision-making process.
Deprivation of liberty must not, beyond necessary and lawful restrictions, become exclusion from political life and from the exercise of the statutory functions I continue to hold.
In conclusion, I ask the Socialist Party’s Secretary General and the competent authorities to coordinate the necessary steps to ensure my effective participation in the National Assembly meeting on November 14, 2026, either in person or, alternatively, by videoconference.
Respectfully,
ERION VELIAJ
Member of the National Assembly of the Socialist Party
