Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj has requested a change to his security measure, seeking to replace his pretrial detention with a lighter measure, nearly one year after his arrest at City Hall.

The request will be reviewed by Special Court judge Etleva Deda, who will decide whether to approve the replacement of the “arrest in prison” measure imposed on the Socialist mayor.

Veliaj has been held in pretrial detention at the Durrës detention facility since Feb. 10, 2025. Despite his arrest, he has remained in office after the Constitutional Court overturned a presidential decree calling for early mayoral elections in Tirana.

The Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution (SPAK) closed its investigation and sent the case to trial on Sept. 10, charging Veliaj with nine counts of corruption-related offenses. The charges include money laundering, failure to declare assets, abuse of office and bringing prohibited items into a detention facility.

Veliaj’s wife, Ajola Xoxa, has also been charged. Prosecutors accuse her of passive corruption in nine cases, allegedly linked to commercial entities and non-profit organizations under their control.