A decision signed by Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj to dismiss Deputy Mayor Anuela Ristani has raised new questions over how Albania’s capital will be governed while its elected mayor remains in pretrial detention.

After days of debate over the leadership of Tirana Municipality, Veliaj’s legal team has taken a firm position: the mayor intends to continue exercising his legal powers despite being held in detention.

Veliaj’s lawyer, Plarent Ndreca, told that the revocation of Ristani’s delegated powers does not create a vacancy at the head of the municipality. 

According to Ndreca, those powers have reverted to Veliaj, who remains, legally, the mayor of Tirana.