Analyst Mentor Kikia has described as alarming the letter by Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, stressing that his clash with Prime Minister Edi Rama should not be seen merely as a conflict between two political figures, but as an issue that raises serious concerns about the functioning of state institutions. For the mayor, the letter constitutes evidence that cannot be ignored. “Erion Veliaj has made a deposition, because the letter has the value of evidence before the prosecution and investigative bodies. The problem is the way institutions function”, Kikia said on ”News 24”.
He also raised questions about the involvement of the Minister of Justice in this matter, stressing that Veliaj’s statements required a direct reaction from Prime Minister Edi Rama.“In this case, the prime minister should have reacted, even by denying it. Everything cannot be settled with a statement from Justice Minister Toni Gogu. It is not clear what a minister wanted at 22:00 in prison, we do not understand this”, he said.
Kikia described the event as a scandal of considerable proportions, arguing that the issue touches one of the fundamental principles of the rule of law: the independence of justice from political power. “The other question mark is whether justice is independent or under the control of the government. The event has the proportions of a scandal, and things should not be left in silence”, the analyst stressed.
Commenting on the relationship between Rama and Veliaj, Kikia distinguished between a personal and a political conflict, underlining that citizens should be concerned above all about the consequences this clash may have for public institutions. Regarding the political future of the Municipality of Tirana, the analyst assessed that the capital has a special weight in local elections and that its result also affects political developments at the national level.
“I think Rama believes he will not win Tirana if Veliaj and the opposition are against him”, Kikia said. According to him, the most worrying consequence of this clash is the damage to citizens’ trust in institutions. In the interview, Kikia also criticized the way the Socialist Party currently functions, comparing its organization with the period when Fatos Nano led it. “When Fatos Nano was chairman of the PS, there was a dynamic. Today, with Rama as chairman of the Socialist Party, we have a solid party where no one speaks”, he said.