Albania’s Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organised Crime (SPAK) has opened a formal investigation against Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure, Belinda Balluku, accusing her of violating public procurement rules related to a road construction project in 2020.
According to SPAK, Balluku is under investigation for the criminal offence of “Violation of equality of participants in tenders or public auctions”, allegedly committed in collaboration with other officials during her tenure as Minister of Infrastructure and Energy.
“Belinda Balluku was notified of the charges and accused of committing the criminal offence of violating equality in public tenders,” SPAK said in an official statement on Friday.
“The investigation concerns her actions regarding procurement procedures for a 2020 road construction contract.”
Missed Initial Hearing, Later Appeared at SPAK
Media reports earlier this week suggested that Balluku was expected to appear at SPAK on Monday to be formally informed of her legal status. However, she postponed the visit due to an official trip abroad and appeared before prosecutors on Friday instead.
Speaking briefly after the session, Balluku told reporters she “believes in justice” and declined to give further comment.
Rama Declines to Intervene
Prime Minister Edi Rama, when asked by Deutsche Welle about the case, avoided making any direct comment on the allegations against his deputy.
“I don’t have a comment on any legal case,” Rama said. “We have our work, justice has its work. Until issues take their definitive form, all individuals are presumed innocent and cannot be judged by the people’s court of politics or the media.”
Balluku, one of the most influential figures within the ruling Socialist Party, has held the post of Minister of Infrastructure and Energy since 2019 and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister in 2022.
Her case marks the highest-ranking government investigation currently active in Albania, underscoring SPAK’s ongoing efforts to combat corruption and enforce accountability in high public office.
Context: SPAK’s Expanding Anti-Corruption Drive
This investigation adds to a series of recent actions by SPAK targeting senior officials and public procurement scandals in Albania. In March 2024, the head of the Albania Road Authority was arrested on corruption and money laundering charges, while several other infrastructure tenders have come under scrutiny for irregularities.
Observers say the Balluku case will test both SPAK’s independence and the government’s commitment to the rule of law ahead of Albania’s ongoing EU accession process.