The mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, called the accusations of Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj, who, on the run, pointed the finger at him and Prime Minister Rama for the Tirana incinerator affair as slander.
The statements do not deserve any comment, added the mayor in the interview given to “Studio Live” on Report TV, as he underlined that more than words or slander, the work itself speaks for the transformation of the city.
Who is a man faces justice, says Veliaj and that the Municipality of Tirana exchanges letters with SPAK every day, being transparent with justice.
“I have no problem with accusations. I live a life that is like an open book in everyone’s eyes. Even when I took this job, I was prepared for everything, for defamation, for accusations, even for these defamations of next. Everyone knows the truth about the incinerators, just as everyone knows that Tirana needs to be cleaned. Even at the moment that Tirana is not cleaned, if in this process there were people who made mistakes, they should be held responsible. So to comment on someone who runs away from justice, runs away from responsibility and then slanders, I don’t believe he deserves a comment. Who is a man sit here and face it, like all of us we communicate daily with SPAK and can exchange dozens of letters a day , for an infinity of processes. Sometimes it has nothing to do with the municipality, but the municipality has information about how this permit was given, who was the designer, where there was, let’s say, an enterprise, or an incident. So the municipality is still a center of a lot of information and I believe that we have been one of the most correct institutions in this relationship with SPAK and in total transparency.
Of course, the new justice system, like everything new, will be anathema by some, it will be praised by us, because I firmly believe that the first system of justice where practically the Municipality of Tirana could not win a single trial, but an occupier always won. We have lost court cases to free up territories in cemeteries. The first human work, how does it occupy the cemetery, in a plot where our ancestors rest? The second, how does he then pay in court and how can there be judges, who fortunately the vetting forwarded, or is forwarding, who continue and give measures of this strangeness.
So there was a need for a return, where the strong, the powerful, in fact are the people, are the citizens, it is the right, it is the public and not the one who can afford to pay and the one who can manipulate justice, definitely the time had come, even we were late. Of course, this is an adaptation process, with a new system, with new requirements, with a much higher standard, we must adapt. But is justice today better than it was? It definitely is!! Is it perfect? I believe that none of us does a perfect job, like that pendulum that will find its base and find the square where it will weigh. But I say that whoever has a problem, instead of running away, should be here and explain. To go away and slander and make up, there are a lot of people who also tell me why you don’t deal with slander every day.”
Veliaj further added that in the end, what remains are the good deeds done in this city and not the words or slander.
“Our grandparents used to tell us that when a dog barks at you on the street, you don’t bark back at the dog, you continue on the road. Otherwise, it’s bad for you to deal with such barking non-stop and not do any work. I have decided that to do the work. Why? I know that maybe in this culture of gladiators and this kind of bickering where it’s very tempting to get involved, there are a lot of people who want to see this fight. Whereas history has taught us that these are not things that remain. In the final, the 40 schools we have built will remain, this square will remain, the bazaar will remain, the Pyramid will remain, the new theater will remain, the lake park, Farka will remain, meanwhile these gossips will forget that another one will come next week , I’m sure another tsunami of rumors and slander will come in. And I believe this philosophy has been successful.
When you focus on work and don’t bark at every person who needs or wants to engage you in an unrelated battle. Today, however, to answer your question, not to give up on any question.”
