Erion Veliaj, the current Mayor of Tirana, has been transferred from Durrës prison to the Institute of Execution of Criminal Decisions (IEVP) in Fier. The news, reported by the Albanian media outlet RTSH, indicates that the General Directorate of Prisons ordered this transfer today. The official reasons for the relocation have not yet been disclosed.

Veliaj had been in pre-trial detention in Durrës since February 2025, the date of his arrest. According to reports from RTSH, the transfer to IEVP in Fier reportedly did not occur at the mayor's request. The authorities have not provided public statements clarifying the reasons for this change in the Albanian penitentiary system.

As the first citizen of the Albanian capital, Erion Veliaj is accused of serious crimes, including passive corruption, money laundering, and concealment of assets. His detention is part of an ongoing judicial proceeding, which sees the mayor as a central figure in the investigations.

The absence of explicit explanations for the transfer raises questions, although it may be related to internal dynamics within the penitentiary institutions. Veliaj’s case, involving a high-profile politician in Albania, continues to receive attention from local media, with RTSH promptly providing updates on the new detention location.