Until one hot day in May 2020, most citizens knew Ardi Veliu as one of the implementers of the project for the police of drugs and drugs addict police.

They had only rarely heard speaking the one they had dubbed as Klement Balili’s chauffeur (The international drugs trafficker that turned himself in and was transferred to Tirana police from Saranda in Ardi Veliu’s car, at the time Director General of Albanian State Police).

That hot day in May 2020, a video posted in the social network shocked the public opinion as it showed several police officers beating brutally a boy of minor age, 14, because he was riding his bike at the hills of the Artificial Lake in Tirana during curfew.

Director General of the State Police Veliu ignored calls for his resignation showing up instead before the parliamentary Security Commission where not only he did not apologize, but attacked verbally the abused boy’s single mother. Veliu said she was to blame for her son’s behavior and showed some pictures where the woman was seen holding a gun.

It turned out the woman was an actress and the picture Veliu showed was taken from some movie she had played. It also offered the Albanian citizens the chance to see how Ardi Veliu was deceiving only to hide the police crimes.

Ignoring many protests that followed, Albanian Premier Edi Rama promised he would let go anyone but Ardi Veliu. Why he needed Veliu that much became clear only a few days prior to the April 25, 2021 general election, when Pjerin Xhuvani was murdered in Elbasan following an election-related confrontation.

Ardi Veliu showed up in a press conference, taking by his side a prosecutor that soon would be catapulted to SPAK, the Albanian Special Structure against Corruption. Both lied shamelessly saying that no electoral material was found at the crime site. Once again they hid the police role which, as would be proven later, had allowed the serious crime take place.

Ardi Veliu’s manipulations peaked in December 2020. The police murdered young man who was literally doing nothing. Klodian Rasha was assassinated at cold blood near his home.

Veliu commenced efforts to manipulate what happened immediately after the crime. The media close to the government reported the young man was running away from police because he was carrying a gun. Later it was said the victim had pointed the gun at the police.

As Tirana was burning from the youth protests for Klodian Rasha’s murder, video footage from security cameras near the place of the incident showed it was a clear murder by a police officer who had been previously accused of using drugs.

And yet the murders committed by police and in the police precincts did not stop, marking a dark record not only for Albania but wider. Rasha’s history was repeated with Lear Kurti’s murder last week. Kurti, 32, died after being beaten brutally by police officers. Again Ardi Veliu intervened to manipulate the incident. The same scenario seen with Rasha. Veliu manipulated, and the government media tarnished the victim.

In all the cases, behind Veliu stands Edi Rama. Always ready to attack anyone that touches Veliu. Always ready to protect any version of the crime. In Lear Kurti’s case too, the first thing the “prosecutor” Rama did was attacking the opposition and defend Veliu. Because he needs him! Because he is the man that defends the criminal gang beneath the uniform of the State Police!