Cartoon toys in a school lunchroom. A smiling mayor on a big TV, behind bars, under a sign that says "FREE LUNCH FOR EVERY CHILD". The lunch trays below are empty.

Even From This Cell

Updated

Tirana's mayor is in jail. His campaign promises are not.

The mayor of Albania's capital is in jail. He made a speech anyway, using a computer copy of himself.

  1. February 2025. Tirana's mayor, Erion Veliaj, is arrested, suspected of corruption (Politico). He says he did nothing wrong.

  2. November 2025. The city plans a vote to replace him. A court cancels it (Politico).

  3. September 2026. A court says he stays in jail until his trial is over (The Next Web).

  4. By October 6. A video is up on his Instagram. It is not him. It is an AI copy, and it says so: "I can only greet you with artificial intelligence" (Politico).

  5. The promise. Free school lunch for every child in the city. "I will keep this promise even from this cell" (Politico).

He is still the mayor. The next election is in 2027.

You were eight and I was nine