The court also declined to examine Balluku’s appeal against a measure suspending her from exercising a public office or duty, pending a final decision by the Constitutional Court on a related case filed by Prime Minister Edi Rama.

In a separate decision, the Special Court of Appeal upheld a ruling by the Special Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organised Crime placing heads of power corporation and roads directorate, namely Erald Elezi and Gentian Gjyli, under house arrest.

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Veliaj, who denies all charges, had offered a bail in exchange for a more lenient pretrial measure.

Judge Engert Pëllumbi dismissed the request to undo the first instance court ruling and ordered Mayor Veliaj to be remanded in custody as he awaits trial.

The ruling of an appeal court can be appealed to the Supreme Court within 45 days.

Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj is in detention since February 10 and the charges against him include passive corruption by a high public official, laundering the proceeds of crime, and failure to declare personal assets.

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The decision was made by judge Engert Pëllumbi following an appeal by the Special Anticorruption and Anticrime Prosecution Structure (SPAK) that sought to overturn a first instance court ruling on Berisha’s release on November 27, 2024.

The Special Appeal Court ordered that Berisha reports to judicial police officer Adelajda Metaj twice a month, namely on the first and third Monday of every month.

Berisha may file an appeal with the High Court within the next 45 days.

Former prime minister and opposition leader Berisha had been under house arrest for nearly a year, accused of passive corruption linked to the controversial privatization of the Partizani sports complex.

Prosecutors accuse Berisha of using his position as former government head to push through legislation benefiting five families, including his son-in-law, Jamarbër Malltezi.

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Berisha has been put under house arrest after previously refusing to comply with the Court’s order to report before a judicial police officer, claiming that the security measure against him was unconstitutional.

The former PM had requested through his lawyers to attend Parliament’s sessions. Judges decided to turn down the petition and Berisha faces loss of his parliamentary mandate if he misses parliament’s sessions until June.

Berisha’s lawyers accused the Court of making a decision in violation of the country’s Constitution.

Berisha is under investigation for procedures followed in the privatization of the former sports club Partizani. He is suspected of favoring his son-in-law Jamarbër Malltezi, one of the former owners of the land, on which a residential complex was later built.

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Fredi Beleri was detained two days before local elections on election crime charges on May 14 local polls, when he ran for mayoral office as candidate of the opposition’s “Together We Win” coalition.

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