As Albania’s ruling Socialist Party holds its National Assembly today in Gjiri i Lalëzit, Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj has sent a lengthy message to party members from Fier prison, publicly releasing a letter sharply criticizing the party’s leadership and calling for greater internal democracy.

Veliaj, who has been held in pre-trial detention for 21 months, had requested permission to attend the assembly, which begins at 10:30 a.m. and comes nearly nine months after the party’s previous gathering. His request was not approved by the authorities.

Unable to attend, Veliaj chose to communicate his position through a message sent directly to the mobile phones of National Assembly members.

In the letter, titled “The Socialist Party Is Bigger Than Its Chairman,” Veliaj challenges the current leadership structure of the Socialist Party, questioning the concentration of decision-making power in the hands of party chairman Edi Rama.

He also calls for the activation of the party's statutory procedure for a motion of no confidence against Rama, a move that could open a significant debate over the party's leadership and internal political direction.

The letter further includes allegations of political interference in his legal case, criticism of the functioning of party institutions, and calls for stronger internal democracy, open debate and greater accountability.

Veliaj's message comes at a politically sensitive moment for the governing Socialist Party, placing questions about its leadership, internal cohesion and democratic procedures at the center of today's assembly.