Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj reacted for the first time about the interceptions of the Italian anti-Mafia authorities, where his name has been mentioned in relation with money laundering made in the Albanian capital by the Calabrese mob ‘ndragheta. According to the conversations intercepted by the Italian authorities, Italian businessmen with links to mafia, contacted Veliajn for construction permits in Tirana in exchange of fat bribes equal to 20% of the construction value.

However, Veliaj, as usual, tried to minimize the importance of the Italian investigation through cheap jokes.

He called the investigation a “campaign wonder” like it was performed by the Albanian opposition instead of the Italian anti-Mafia authorities.

“You’ll hear wonders in this campaign. It will turn out we’ve been kindergarten mates with Escobar. Divide and conquer has been Sali’s (Berisha) strategy. It worked in the ‘90s”, Veliaj said, trying to link an Italian investigation with the his electoral campaign for the Socialist Party.