Albania Formalizes Corruption Charges Against Former Deputy PM Belinda Balluku
Albanian prosecutors have finalized corruption and money laundering charges against former Deputy PM Belinda Balluku following a high-profile investigation.
POLICY WIRE — Tirana, Albania — Albanian prosecutors have officially formalized corruption charges against former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, marking a significant escalation in a high-profile legal case that previously sparked civil unrest in the capital.
The Special Prosecution Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime, known as SPAK, confirmed on Tuesday that the final indictment includes allegations of passive corruption involving high-ranking state officials and the violation of equality for participants in public auctions and tenders.
Balluku, who served as both deputy to Prime Minister Edi Rama and as infrastructure minister, was initially charged late last year. The investigation centers on her alleged interference in the awarding of two construction contracts in 2021, which were valued at more than €200 million.
The expanded legal action against the former official has intensified public scrutiny regarding the government’s protection of senior figures. This tension is further fueled by the Parliament’s previous refusal to authorize her arrest, a move that has drawn significant attention since the country initiated its justice reform efforts.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
