Erion Veliaj
| Erion Veliaj | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Mayor of Tirana | |
|
Assumed office 21 July 2015 |
|
| Preceded by | Lulzim Basha |
| Minister of Social Welfare and Youth | |
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In office 15 September 2013 – 30 April 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Spiro Ksera |
| Succeeded by | Blendi Klosi |
| Prime Minister | Edi Rama |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
17 December 1979 Tirana, Albania |
| Political party |
G99 (2008-2010) Socialist Party (2010-present) |
| Residence | Tirana |
| Alma mater | Grand Valley State University, University of Sussex |
G99 (2008-2010)
Erion Veliaj (born in December 17, 1979 in Tirana) is an Albanian politician, who is currently serving as Mayor of Tirana. He is the 42nd elected mayor of Tirana.
He was elected Member of the Parliament for the district of Gjirokastra, during the Albanian parliamentary election of 2013. Between September 2013 and April 2015, Veliaj served as Minister of Social Welfare and Youth in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Erion Veliaj was born on December 17, 1979. After graduating from Sami Frasheri High School in Tirana, he moved to the USA, where he obtained a B.A in Political Sciences at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. He also pursued postgraduate studies in the University of Sussex, receiving a master's degree in European Integration. Prior to his return in Albania, Veliaj worked with several international humanitarian organizations in the Americas, Eastern Africa, and Kosovo.
In 2003, Veliaj founded the MJAFT! movement, a civic organization that unified activists to raise awareness and to protest for diverse social, educational and political issues in Albania. In 2004, MJAFT! was granted the United Nations Award for civil society by Kofi Annan for its exemplary and highly efficient methods of protest.
Erion Veliaj led the MJAFT! movement until November 2007. In the parliamentary elections of 2009, he was a candidate for the Parliament of Albania, through the civil list of G99.
His MJAFT! organization showed the controversial Muhammad cartoons on its pages.
In 2011, Veliaj joined the Steering Committee of the Socialist Party of Albania, as Secretary for Youth and Emigration. For the first time, he helped bring structure to the Socialist Party branches in countries where the Albanian diaspora is most prevalent, particularly Greece and Italy.
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