SPAK announces charges against Belinda Balluku

2025-10-31 16:39:00, Aktualitet CNA

The Special Prosecution Office announced today the indictment against the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Belinda Balluku.

According to SPAK, Balluk is charged with the criminal offense of "Violation of equality of participants in public tenders or auctions."

Announcement:

The Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime is investigating, within the framework of criminal proceedings no. 136 of 2025 (jointly with criminal proceedings no. 167 and 181 of 2024), for the criminal offense, “Violation of equality of participants in tenders or public auctions”, provided for by Article 258 of the Criminal Code.
Within the framework of the investigation of this criminal proceeding, today, on 31.10.2025, the defendant Belinda Balluku, with the high state function, Minister of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, was notified of the charges against her, accused of committing the criminal offense, “Violation of equality of participants in tenders or public auctions”, in collaboration, provided for by Articles 258/2 and 25 of the Criminal Code.

Up to this stage of the preliminary investigation, the criminal facts, the subject of the charges against the defendant Belinda Balluku, relate to her actions, in her capacity as Minister of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, for one of the procurement procedures, the subject of this investigation, "Construction of the Llogara tunnel", on the Orikum-Himar road section, part of the SH8 highway (Vlora-Saranda), conducted on 11.12.2020 and after its cancellation, the procedure was reopened on 22.6.2021, with a limit fund of 18,967,810,952.08 (eighteen billion, nine hundred sixty-seven million, eight hundred ten thousand, nine hundred fifty-two (point) zero eight) lek, excluding VAT.

On 21.10.2025, the Special Prosecution Office, as the proceeding body, notified the defendant through a letter with protocol number 37398. The defendant, after receiving notice, notified the proceeding body on 23.10.2025 that she could not appear on the scheduled date and time. By means of another letter, with protocol number 37881, dated 24.10.2025, the Special Prosecution Office requested her appearance today, October 31, at 15:00.