The Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution (SPAK) in Albania has suspended from duty the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, against whom it has filed an indictment on corruption charges.
SPAK has also imposed a security measure preventing Balluku from leaving the country.
She is accused of the criminal offense of “Violation of the equality of participants in public tenders or auctions.”
The indictment against her was filed on October 31, 2025.
According to SPAK, Balluku is suspected of committing violations in two procurement processes: the construction of the Llogara Tunnel — part of the Orikum-Himarë road section — and the construction of the fourth lot of Tirana’s outer ring road.
Regarding the tunnel construction, SPAK said that investigations so far have identified unlawful actions committed by Balluku.
“As Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, she continuously followed and directed the entire process of this public procurement — from the preparatory phase, the development of the procedure, the submission and evaluation of bids, until the moment the contract was signed with the winning economic operator,” the announcement stated.
Balluku, along with the other defendants who were members of the bid evaluation commission — Evis Berberi, Gentian Gjyli, Erald Elezi, Jetmira Dervishi and Mirzeta Kashnica — “pre-determined the winner of this procurement procedure and created unfair advantages and privileges for the consortium of winning economic operators ‘I… and A…’”.
All defendants held official positions at the time the alleged violations occurred, reports RFE/RL.
Regarding the project for constructing Tirana’s outer ring road, SPAK also stated that Balluku directed the public procurement procedure.
“Defendant Belinda Balluku, in cooperation with defendant Evis Berberi, members of the Procurement Unit J.Ç., A.K., D.Xh., members of the bid evaluation commission Erald Elezi, and citizens K.K. and M.Sh., predetermined the winner of this procurement, creating unfair advantages and privileges for the consortium of economic operators ‘E…’ sh.p.k, ‘P…’ sh.p.k, and ‘N…’ sh.p.k,” SPAK said.
In addition to the measures placed on Balluku, house arrest was ordered for defendants Gentian Gjyli and Erald Elezi.
After the indictment was filed, Balluku stated upon leaving SPAK that she was being investigated and expressed hope that the process would be “based on transparency, accountability, and above all on the unchanging principles of justice, in which I believe.”
Before the indictment was raised, Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama had refused to comment on the case, stressing that “we have our job, the judiciary has its own.”
SPAK was created in December 2019, following the constitutional changes approved in 2016. The structure has investigated several former officials, former ministers, and MPs who are currently serving sentences.
This institution has carried out corruption investigations against high-profile figures such as former President Ilir Meta and former Prime Minister Sali Berisha. Berisha was released from house arrest at the end of last November, while Meta remains in detention.
