A letter sent to Washington by two Republican congressmen has once again put Albania at the center of debate over corruption, justice, and political pressure on institutions. In the document addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, they ask the U.S. administration to consider using visa restrictions against Albanian officials involved in significant corruption.
Request for measures under U.S. law
The letter was signed by Joe Wilson, a Republican congressman from South Carolina, and Keith Self, a Republican from Texas who also chairs the House Subcommittee on Europe.
The two lawmakers ask the State Department to examine the application of Section 7031(c), a mechanism in U.S. legislation that allows entry restrictions into the United States for foreign nationals about whom there is credible information of involvement in significant corruption. Under this mechanism, the measures may also affect immediate family members of the targeted individuals.
Concerns over justice reform and political interference
The letter says the United States has invested significantly in justice reform in Albania, but that this progress remains fragile and could be undone. This is a political signal that goes beyond routine rhetoric about partnership with Tirana.
Wilson and Self raise concerns that anti-corruption institutions must operate without political interference. According to them, political protection for officials under investigation could hinder the work of these structures and undermine confidence in the rule of law.
The Balluku case also at the center
Part of the letter, according to reporting by Fox News, focuses on the case of former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku. The congressmen seek information on developments in this file following investigations into suspected interference in public procurement procedures for road construction.
According to the version presented in the article, Albanian prosecutors had asked parliament to lift Balluku’s immunity to enable her arrest, but the request did not receive the necessary approval. Prime Minister Edi Rama had opposed it, calling it unconstitutional.
The allegations against Balluku remain at the investigation stage and must be assessed in the relevant legal proceedings. They do not, in themselves, constitute proof of guilt.
Questions on protests, police, and the U.S. embassy
The two congressmen did not stop at corruption. They also requested information on U.S. support for justice reform, as well as on the cooperation of the U.S. Embassy in Tirana with Albanian authorities regarding the protection of protesters and journalists.
The request comes at a time when protests in Tirana have been accompanied by tensions and clashes with police near state institutions and the headquarters of the Socialist Party. According to the official version, Rama has refused calls to resign and has proposed dialogue, while also claiming that foreign interests are trying to obstruct Albania’s path toward the European Union.
Deadline for a response and the political message
Wilson and Self asked the U.S. administration for a response by November 5. Joe Wilson himself, in statements to Fox News, said there is concern in Congress about the situation in Albania and the way authorities are responding to citizens demanding accountability.
The article also includes the assessment of former ambassador Agim Nesho, who links the climate of protests in Albania to demands for greater political accountability. More broadly, the issue touches on a sensitive point for official Tirana: the path toward the EU, where corruption, political clashes, and the actual functioning of the justice system remain tests that cannot be passed through statements alone.
Albania has held European Union candidate status since 2014. Although there has been progress in justice reform and the fight against organized crime, allegations of corruption and political tensions continue to keep doubts open over democratic standards and the independence of institutions.