8 hours agoVeliaj and Xox lawyers respond: No evidence linking our clients with investigated property
Periskopi(a year ago)
(a year ago)Lawyers of Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, and his wife, Ayla Xoxa, have reacted after recent media reports on a decision by the Special Court on sequenting a fortune under a corruption and organised crime investigation. In a statement to the media, they explain neither Veliaj [...]
In a statement to the media, they explain that neither Veliaj nor Mrs. Xoxa are not owners of seized property and do not have any legal or property ties with the commercial subject “A. K.” shpk, which is the focus of criminal prosecution no. 27/2024.
Subsequent to increased media reporting and public interest regarding the First Scale Special Court's decision on Corruption and Organised Crime, within criminal prosecution no. 27 in 2024, we're clear as follows: Not even Mr. Erion Veliaj and not Mrs. Ayla Xoxa is not owned by this seized property and has no property or legal connection with the trade subject “A. K.” shpk, nor with the property that is the object of the property insurance mass “sequential default”. The real estate owned by Mrs. Xoxa is the apartment they live in, in the Ceita area, created before the wedding and this apartment is not and has not been at any moment the investigation or sequencing by any law enforcement authority, the statement said.
Lawyers also stress that any investigation should be based on facts and verifiable evidence, in respect of the principle of predicting innocence. They recall that the Veliaj-Xoxa pair has always declared assets in accordance with the law and has co-operated with the relevant institutions.
We show that it is in the legal right of the prosecution's body to conduct investigations, but the allegations raised should be based on concrete facts and verifiable evidence, in respect of the principle of presuming the innocence and fundamental rights of the individual. Mr. Veliaj and Mrs. Xoxa have declared their assets, both money and after marriage, in accordance with legislation in force, and have always been co-operative with responsible institutions. Any attempt to distort reality and link their name to issues that have no legal basis constitutes misinformation of public opinion and assault on Mr. Veliaj, for what all legal ways of protecting one's reputation and making the truth clear will be followed. We apologize for any disturbance the neighbours of the Veliaj-Xoxa pair and the only “faj” of them are living in the same palace with the latter, said the lawyer's response. /Periscope/
