The Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has asked the Albanian Parliament to lift the immunity of Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku and authorize her arrest.
SPAK filed an indictment against Balluku, who is also an MP and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, on October 31 of this year, under suspicion of committing violations during the awarding of tenders.
She was suspended from official duties and prevented from leaving the country, but SPAK's decision to suspend her was overturned by the Constitutional Court.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said that following the Constitutional Court's decision, SPAK is now seeking authorization to arrest Balluk, either to send him to prison or house arrest.
He said that "arrests without trial" have become "a rude fashion in Albania," but added that he cannot prejudge the request in question.
"But, of course, in the case in question, we cannot and will not prejudge the special prosecutor's request, but since unlike other processes, where we as a rule do not speak about the content of the cases, this time we are asked to give our opinion, we will engage with all our responsibility before the Albanians who gave us 83 mandates, and we will prepare to maintain a fair, clear and worthy stance, as the leading force of the country and of justice reform," he wrote in X.
SPAK accuses Balluku of the criminal offense: "Violation of equality of participants in tenders or public auctions", namely for the construction of the Llogara tunnel.
She is also being investigated under suspicion of having committed the same criminal offense in seven other procurement procedures, including for the construction of the Tirana Outer Ring Road.
Regarding the construction of the Llogara tunnel, SPAK had previously announced that illegal actions committed by Balluku had been identified.
"In her capacity as Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, she has continuously followed and guided the procedure of this public procurement, from the preparatory phase, the development of the procedure, the submission and evaluation of bids, until the moment of concluding the contract with the winning economic operator," SPAK said on November 20.
Even for the Outer Ring Road, she is suspected of having guided the public procurement procedure.
SPAK was created in December 2019, following constitutional changes that were voted on in 2016. This structure has investigated several former officials, former ministers and MPs, who are currently serving sentences.
This body has conducted anti-corruption investigations against high-ranking figures, such as former President Ilir Meta and former Prime Minister Sali Berisha. Berisha was released from house arrest at the end of November last year, while Meta is in detention./REL