Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj has requested a change in his legal representation, appointing lawyer and former lawmaker Plarent Ndreca as his new defense counsel in the ongoing court proceedings.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Veliaj was not present in the courtroom and was represented by Ndreca, who formally sought to assume the role of lead defense attorney at this stage of the trial.

The request was opposed by the head of Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK), Altin Dumani, who argued that Ndreca should not be permitted to act as defense counsel because he had previously been questioned during the preliminary investigation as a person with knowledge of the case.

“Plarent Ndreca was questioned during the investigative phase, and under these conditions, he cannot be legitimized as defense counsel,” Dumani stated.

Ndreca rejected the objection, maintaining that statements given during preliminary investigations do not constitute formal evidence and do not create a legal conflict preventing him from representing Veliaj. He clarified that his prior questioning was limited to general knowledge and secondary circumstances, not directly related to the core of the case.

“We are not in conditions of incompatibility. Statements made during preliminary investigations do not constitute evidence,” Ndreca said.

Despite the dispute between the parties, the court ultimately ruled in favor of Veliaj’s request, allowing Plarent Ndreca to serve as his defense lawyer as the trial continues.