Belinda Balluku

Belinda Balluku
Balluku in 2023
Deputy Prime Minister of Albania
In office
28 July 2022 – 6 March 2026
PresidentIlir Meta
Bajram Begaj
Prime MinisterEdi Rama
Preceded byArben Ahmetaj
Succeeded byAlbana Koçiu
Minister of Infrastructure and Energy
In office
17 January 2019 – 6 March 2026
PresidentIlir Meta
Bajram Begaj
Prime MinisterEdi Rama
Preceded byDamian Gjiknuri
Succeeded byEnea Karakaçi
Member of the Parliament of Albania
Incumbent
Assumed office
10 September 2021
Parliamentary groupPS
ConstituencyTirana
Personal details
Born (1973-10-09) 9 October 1973
Tirana, People's Socialist Republic of Albania
PartySocialist Party
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2004; div. 2015)​
Children2
Signature

Belinda Balluku (born 9 October 1973) is an Albanian politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of Albania from 2022 to 2026 and as Minister of Infrastructure and Energy from 2019 to 2026. A member of the Socialist Party of Albania (PS), she has been a member of the Parliament of Albania for Tirana County since 2021.[1]

Before entering national government, Balluku worked in the Municipality of Tirana, in the telecommunications sector, and as director general of Albcontrol, Albania's national air navigation services provider.[1] She was appointed Minister of Infrastructure and Energy in January 2019, became one of the most powerful figures in the Rama III Government, and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister in July 2022.[2][3]

In late 2025, the Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) filed criminal charges against Balluku in connection with public tenders for major infrastructure projects, including the Llogara Tunnel and part of Tirana's Outer Ring Road. Prosecutors accused her of interfering in procurement procedures and favouring selected companies; Balluku denied wrongdoing and said she would cooperate with the justice system.[4][5] The case triggered opposition protests, a debate over judicial independence, and renewed scrutiny of high-level corruption in Albania.[6][7] Prime Minister Edi Rama dismissed Balluku from the government in February 2026, and in March 2026 the Albanian parliament rejected SPAK's request to lift her parliamentary immunity for arrest measures.[8][9]

Early life and education

Balluku was born in Tirana on 9 October 1973.[10] Her grandfather was Beqir Balluku, a senior communist-era military figure and former Minister of People's Defence who was executed in 1975 after being accused by the regime of plotting against Enver Hoxha.[11] Balluku has said in interviews that members of her family were persecuted after Beqir Balluku's fall from power.[12]

According to biographical material published for international energy forums, Balluku studied law and business administration and completed professional qualifications in air navigation services management through the International Air Transport Association (IATA).[1] She has also been described as having completed executive education in economic development at the Harvard Kennedy School.[1]

Career before national office

Balluku joined the staff of the Municipality of Tirana in 2004, during Edi Rama's period as mayor, serving as a public relations adviser and later as director of the mayor's cabinet.[1] During this period, she worked on communication between the mayor's office and municipal directorates.[1] She later worked in the telecommunications sector, including in management positions in customer care and marketing at the company then known as Telekom Albania.[10]

Before becoming a minister, Balluku served as director general of Albcontrol, the Albanian air navigation services provider.[1] In that role she was involved in aviation management and regional cooperation, and was selected as one of the members of the Air Navigation Services Board at Eurocontrol, according to her international biography.[1]

Political career

Socialist Party and municipal administration

Balluku formally joined the Socialist Party of Albania in 2006.[3] Her early political career was closely linked to Edi Rama's administration in Tirana, where she worked on public communication and cabinet coordination before later moving to state and public-sector management positions.[1]

Minister of Infrastructure and Energy

In January 2019, Balluku was appointed Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, replacing Damian Gjiknuri after a government reshuffle that followed the 2018 Albanian student protests and wider pressure on Rama's cabinet.[2] The ministry oversaw energy policy, roads, ports, airports, telecommunications, and several of Albania's largest public infrastructure projects. These included projects with high political visibility and large public budgets, such as road corridors, airport development, and energy-sector reforms.

During her tenure, Balluku regularly appeared with Prime Minister Rama at infrastructure inaugurations and was publicly presented as one of the key officials responsible for delivery of government projects. Albanian media described her as one of the most influential figures in the Rama cabinet after her promotion to Deputy Prime Minister.[3] Critics and opposition politicians, however, repeatedly focused on the ministry because of the size of procurement procedures and the number of concessions, road contracts, and energy projects under its supervision.[6]

In 2022, during the wider European energy crisis following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Balluku announced energy-saving measures and warning scenarios for possible restrictions if Albania faced extreme electricity shortages.[3] The government later avoided broad scheduled power cuts, but the episode placed the ministry at the centre of public discussion over Albania's dependence on hydropower and imported electricity.

Deputy prime minister

On 28 July 2022, Balluku was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Albania, replacing Arben Ahmetaj.[3] Her appointment strengthened her position inside the government, as she continued simultaneously as Minister of Infrastructure and Energy. Reuters later described her as a close cabinet ally of Rama and a politician viewed as a possible successor within the ruling party.[4][8]

Member of parliament and party electoral roles

Balluku was elected to the Parliament of Albania in the 2021 Albanian parliamentary election as a Socialist Party candidate in Tirana County.[1] She remained a member of parliament while serving in the cabinet.

In the run-up to the 2025 Albanian parliamentary election, Balluku served as the Socialist Party's political leader for Fier County. Albanian media reported that she opened the local campaign by setting a target of ten parliamentary mandates for the Socialist Party in the county.[13] In March 2026, after her dismissal from government, she was reported to have been reconfirmed as the Socialist Party's political leader for Fier.[14]

International observers stated that the 2025 parliamentary elections were competitive and professionally managed, but that contestants did not enjoy a level playing field. The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) reported intimidation, misuse of public resources, pressure on public employees, procedural shortcomings, vote buying, and problems with ballot secrecy.[15] Those findings concerned the overall electoral environment and did not constitute a personal criminal finding against Balluku.

Corruption investigation

Background to the infrastructure tenders

The main investigation involving Balluku concerned public tenders carried out while she was Minister of Infrastructure and Energy. The most prominent was the Llogara Tunnel, a major road tunnel project on the route between Vlorë and the southern Albanian coast. SPAK and media reports also connected the investigation to the fourth lot of Tirana's Outer Ring Road.[4][16]

According to Reuters, SPAK alleged that Balluku interfered in the awarding of two construction contracts in 2021 worth more than €200 million.[8] The agency reported that prosecutors accused her, in her capacity as infrastructure minister, of steering tenders to favour specific companies and that the indictment contained excerpts of messages between Balluku and colleagues, including the then director of the Albanian Road Authority.[4] Balluku denied wrongdoing.[4][8]

SPAK charges and alleged messages

On 31 October 2025, SPAK announced that Balluku had been taken as a defendant in connection with alleged violation of equality in public tenders.[17] Balkan Insight reported that anti-corruption prosecutors were investigating Balluku for violating public procurement rules in relation to the Llogara Tunnel tender.[18]

Albanian media later published excerpts said to be from the investigation file, including alleged communications on the Signal messaging application between Balluku and Evis Berberi, then head of the Albanian Road Authority.[19] Balkan Insight reported that the leaked file alleged close involvement by Balluku in the tender process and included messages discussing procurement timing and companies involved in the tender.[19] OCCRP similarly reported that investigators claimed Balluku had monitored and controlled steps of the project and preselected the winning bidder in breach of procurement rules.[16] These allegations remained subject to judicial proceedings, and Balluku denied the charges.[4]

Suspension from office and travel ban

On 20 November 2025, the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime ordered Balluku's suspension from governmental duties after she was indicted by prosecutors over her alleged role in selecting a company for the tunnel project.[5] The court also imposed a ban on leaving the country, according to Albanian and international media reports.[9][16] Reuters reported that Balluku had told parliament that the accusations were mudslinging, insinuations, half-truths and lies and that she would fully cooperate with the judiciary.[5]

The court measures created a constitutional and political dispute because Balluku remained a minister and deputy prime minister while being suspended by a judicial decision. Rama publicly criticised what he described as judicial overreach and in February 2026 announced plans to change the law to prevent courts from suspending ministers during criminal investigations.[7] Reuters reported that critics, including the opposition Democratic Party, accused Rama of trying to protect himself and his allies and of undermining judicial independence.[7]

Dismissal from government

On 26 February 2026, Rama dismissed Balluku as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy during a wider cabinet reshuffle.[8] Reuters reported that the dismissal came after months of pressure from corruption allegations and opposition protests, and that Rama had previously rejected Balluku's resignation three times according to a government spokesperson.[8] Balluku was replaced as Deputy Prime Minister by Albana Koçiu and as Minister of Infrastructure and Energy by Enea Karakaçi, who officially held the infrastructure portfolio from March 2026.[20][21]

Parliamentary immunity vote

Because Balluku remained a member of parliament, SPAK required parliamentary authorisation to apply arrest measures. Reuters reported in February 2026 that SPAK had asked parliament to lift her immunity to enable her arrest.[22]

On 12 March 2026, the Parliament of Albania rejected SPAK's request to lift Balluku's immunity. European Western Balkans, citing SeeNews, reported that 82 lawmakers, mainly from the ruling Socialist Party, voted against the request, while 47 voted in favour of lifting her immunity; Balluku was not present at the vote.[9] The European Union Delegation to Albania reacted by stating that commitment to the rule of law and the fight against corruption were essential for Albania's EU accession process, and that SPAK needed an enabling environment to carry out its work effectively.[9] Ten Albanian civil society organisations also criticised the decision, stating that parliamentary immunity should not be used as a shield against security measures in a criminal process.[23]

Rama defended the parliamentary decision, arguing that judicial independence and support for SPAK were not being reversed and that parliament had acted within constitutional norms.[9] Critics described the decision as a serious setback for accountability and Albania's justice reform.[9]

Public reaction and political significance

The Balluku case became one of the most high-profile tests of Albania's anti-corruption institutions since the creation of SPAK. Reuters described the investigation as a probe into corruption at the heart of Albania's government and reported that the scandal could complicate Albania's effort to join the European Union by 2030.[4] The case was especially sensitive because Balluku was a close ally of Rama, a senior cabinet member, and a leading Socialist Party figure.[4][8]

Opposition protests intensified after the charges were filed. In December 2025, protesters in Tirana threw petrol bombs at the government building housing the prime minister's office, demanding the government's resignation after prosecutors indicted Balluku for alleged corruption.[6] Reuters reported that Balluku, along with several officials and private companies, was accused of using state funds to favour companies involved in major infrastructure projects, while she denied the allegations and pledged cooperation with the judiciary.[6] In February 2026, further demonstrations demanded the resignation of the government and Balluku's arrest, with protesters chanting against Rama and accusing the government of corruption.[22]

The case also formed part of a broader national debate about state procurement, political accountability, and the independence of justice institutions. Albania has faced continuing pressure from the European Union to fight high-level corruption as part of its accession process.[8][9] In 2025 and 2026, other high-profile Albanian political figures also faced SPAK investigations or prosecutions, increasing the political significance of the justice reform process.[24]

Broader political context

The controversy around Balluku occurred during a period in which international observers and watchdog organisations repeatedly raised concerns about Albania's political environment. ODIHR's final report on the 2025 parliamentary elections stated that the elections were competitive and professionally managed but did not provide a level playing field, citing intimidation, misuse of public resources, pressure on public employees, procedural shortcomings, vote buying, and ballot secrecy problems.[15] These were general findings about the electoral process and did not accuse Balluku personally of election crimes.

Media freedom and political pressure on journalists were also issues in Albania's EU-accession context. In June 2026, Reporters Without Borders said that Albanian journalists continued to face pressure from politicians, media owners, and organised crime, and urged the government and parliament to take measures to restore journalists' trust.[25] RSF also noted that Albania had fallen to 83rd out of 180 countries in its 2026 World Press Freedom Index and that media ownership transparency remained a major issue because private outlets were often owned by families with political ties and economic interests in regulated sectors.[25] These concerns formed part of the wider political environment in which the Balluku case was debated, but were not personal judicial findings against her.

Personal life

Balluku was married to journalist Sokol Balla from 2004 until their divorce in 2015.[10] They have two children.[10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "H.E. Belinda Balluku". Atlantic Council. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  2. 1 2 Jonuzaj, Klaudjo (17 January 2019). "Albania's parliament endorses government reshuffle". SeeNews. Archived from the original on 17 January 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Profile/ Belinda Bulluku the most 'superpowerful' in the Rama 3 cabinet". Vox News. 25 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 McAllister, Edward; Bytyci, Fatos (19 February 2026). "The probe into corruption at the heart of Albania's government". Reuters. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 "Albanian court dismisses PM Rama's deputy over corruption charges". Reuters. 20 November 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Corruption charges spark protests against Albanian government". Reuters. 22 December 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 "Albanian PM seeks to stop judiciary from suspending ministers". Reuters. 16 February 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Albanian PM fires deputy as corruption investigation heats up". Reuters. 26 February 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Parliament of Albania blocks the arrest of the indicted former Deputy Prime Minister". European Western Balkans. 12 March 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "CV-ja e Belinda Ballukut, e vetmja eksperiencë profesionale që përputhet me postin që i dha Rama". Politiko (in Albanian). 22 January 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "Dokumenti sekret: Si u pushkatua gjyshi i ministres Belinda Balluku, fjalët e fundit para ekzekutimit". Gazeta Dita (in Albanian). 30 October 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  12. ↑ ""Babai im s'ka qenë dakord me rrugëtimin tim në politikë" - Belinda Balluku: Familja ime ishte ndër më të persekutuarat, me mbi 110 vite burg dhe internime". Gazeta Tema (in Albanian). 5 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "Belinda Balluku në çeljen e fushatës: Fieri ka një objektiv, 10 mandate deputetësh". Koha Jonë (in Albanian). 12 April 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "Albania's Balluku Reacts to Reappointment as Fier Political Leader". Albanian Daily News. 21 March 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  15. 1 2 "Albania parliamentary elections 2025: ODIHR election observation mission final report". OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. 23 October 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  16. 1 2 3 "Albania Suspends Deputy PM Balluku in Major Tender Probe". Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. 24 November 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  17. ↑ "Vice PM, Taken as Defendant by SPAK for Violation of Equality in Tenders". Albanian Daily News. 31 October 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  18. ↑ Sinoruka, Fjori (31 October 2025). "Albania's Deputy PM Investigated for Violating Public Procurement Rules". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  19. 1 2 "Leaked Albanian Investigation Implicates Deputy PM in Tender Rigging". Balkan Insight. 7 November 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  20. ↑ "Albana Koçiu". Albanian Government Council of Ministers. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "Enea Karakaçi". Albanian Government Council of Ministers. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  22. 1 2 "Violent protests break out in Albania over allegations of government graft". Reuters. 10 February 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "Parliament did not authorize SPAK to arrest Balluk, 10 civil society organizations joint statement: Immunity cannot serve as a shield against justice". BalkanWeb. 12 March 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  24. ↑ "Albania is fighting corruption. The accused are fighting back". The Washington Post. 20 November 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  25. 1 2 "Albania: at parliament hearing and meetings with ministers, RSF called for measures to restore journalists' trust". Reporters Without Borders. 25 June 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
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