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Veliaj and Rama, from friendship to political schism

2026-11-03 15:58:51Pikëpamje SHKRUAR NGA FILIP ÇAKULI

Veliaj and Rama, from friendship to political schism

The Minister of Justice went to the Fier prison to meet Erion Veliaj. According to his statement, the purpose of the visit was to see the conditions in which the mayor of Tirana is being held. But, surprisingly, he did not visit the cell.

The meeting took place in the prison director's office, where the minister saw the furniture, amenities and was convinced that the conditions in our prisons are to be envied.

So, a visit to the office was enough to make a general diagnosis of prison conditions. For Veliaj's cell, however, we still have to wait for a more concrete report.

But, while the minister tells us about the furniture, Veliaj reveals another story.

In a public letter, he claims that the minister had not simply gone to see the conditions of detention, but to convey some messages from "above."

According to Veliaj, the message was clear: resign from the Municipality of Tirana, leave the post to Arbër Hajdar, who has long been talked about as a possible successor, admit that he had helped the protests against Rama, and give up his defense lawyer.

That the letter was written by Veliaj himself, is confirmed by his lawyer, Plarent Ndreca.

If these allegations are true, then we have a situation that cannot be overcome with a diplomatic smile. The country's Prime Minister, instead of confronting a political opponent within his own party, would have chosen to use the Minister of Justice as a message carrier, even within prison walls.

A method that, even by the standards of Albanian politics, would be a high level of amateurism.

But before we announce the verdict, we need to know if this story is true. Because, at the moment, we have two versions: the minister's, which talks about good prison conditions, and Veliaj's, which talks about political messages. One shows us the furniture, the other shows us the behind-the-scenes.

And here the question arises: what has Rama so worried?

Perhaps Veliaj's public statements about the youth protests in Belgrade, where he expressed support for the protesters and drew parallels with developments in Tirana, were a wake-up call for the prime minister. If a socialist detainee starts speaking the language of protests and showing solidarity with movements that could become an example for Albania, then political friendship can quickly turn into a disciplinary problem.

Even Veliaj's transfer from Durres to Fier, accompanied by claims of harsher conditions and a stricter regime, fuels the suspicion that something has changed in the relationship between him and the prime minister. Of course, the transfer itself does not prove any political revenge. But, when it happens in this context, questions are inevitable.

Rama and Veliaj once appeared as two protagonists of the same political story. One at the head of the government, the other at the head of the capital. A duo that for years seemed invincible. Today, however, we have the impression that the chapter of friendship is closing and the one of conflict is opening.

A political schism? (Schism was used in 1054 to divide the Christian Church into Catholic and Orthodox) Or simply an attempt to discipline a collaborator who has begun to get out of line?

And while Rama and Veliaj seem to communicate through statements, letters, and ministers, the Socialist Party continues to remain silent.

There is something significant in this silence. Because we are not talking about two ordinary politicians, but about the prime minister and the mayor of the capital, both important figures of the same party.

Is the SP waiting to see who will win this duel? Or has the answer already been given, without the need for a party meeting?

Ultimately, in a party where decisions are made from above, the structures don't need much interpretation. They just need to understand which way the wind is blowing.

And the wind, as is known, in the Socialist Party usually blows from the chairman.

The question that remains is whether we are dealing with a temporary rift between two friends, or the end of a political relationship that once seemed irreplaceable.

For the moment, Rama is silent, Veliaj speaks, the minister denies having seen any cells, and the SP does what it does best: collective silence.

But in politics, silence is not always the absence of an answer. Sometimes it is the clearest answer.


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Klodian Tomorri / 2026-10-27 11:52:06Point of Views

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