A "mountain" of reports in SPAK, scandals involving Belinda Balluku, from incinerators to corrupt tenders

A "mountain" of reports has been filed against the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, at SPAK for abuse of office and suspicions of corruption, including accusations of violating equality in tenders, favoritism towards certain companies, and abuse of public concessions.

Today the situation intensified, after it was rumored in the media that the Special Prosecution Office registered her name as a person under investigation for violating equality in tenders and invited her to appear before SPAK on Monday based on a letter signed by the Special Prosecutor, Dritan Priençi.

The subpoena has been delivered to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, officially placing Belinda Balluku under investigation and bringing concerns about legality and transparency in the management of infrastructure projects back into the public spotlight. Below, we list some of the most sensational allegations over the years. 

The Llogara Tunnel Affair

In 2024, the Democratic Party Parliamentary Group, through its chairman Gazment Bardhi, reported to SPAK the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku, who is suspected of having committed the criminal offenses of "Violation of equality of participants in public tenders or auctions" and "Passive corruption of senior state officials or local elected officials", as provided for in Articles 258 and 260 of the Criminal Code.

This report is related to the inflated construction costs of the Llogara Tunnel, where it is suspected that its value was increased by 30 million euros that went to a Turkish company, which did not carry out any work.

For the concession of the port of Vlora

In April 2021, the Democratic Party of Vlora reported Minister Balluku to SPAK for the concession of the Port of Vlora.

The Vlora PD, through a press release, announced that abuse of power and violations of equality of participation in the tender have been found in this concession.

The DP also emphasized that the winning company received the tender at a much higher value than the other competitors in the competition.

The DP added that this monetary difference between the offers is considerable, causing great economic damage to the public funds of the state budget.

Korça-Ersekë road

Another lawsuit against the Minister of Infrastructure has also been filed regarding the Korça-Ersekë road, for inflating costs from 1 to 5 million euros per kilometer.

"Nisma Thurje" has reported to the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SPAK) the Minister of Infrastructure, Belinda Balluku, for the concession procedure for the port of Vlora and the lease of 57 thousand square meters of land for 1 euro for the Vlora Marina residential complex.

Pano Soko from Nisma Thurje raised doubts that the procedures for granting the concession for the Vlora Marina port by the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, as well as the granting of 57 thousand square meters of land to public ownership, were carried out in violation of the law, violating equality in tenders and harming the interests of the state.

Percentage requirement in tenders

In September 2025, the chairman of the DP Parliamentary Group, Gazment Bardhi, raised strong accusations against Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, regarding a video recording in which she demands a large percentage for a tender from a businessman.

In a reaction on social media, Bardhi raised suspicions that this video recording, according to him, could also be the reason for the blackmail and attacks against SPAK prosecutor, Dritan Prençi.

The Port of Durres concession affair

In March 2021, the DP sued the Deputy Prime Minister in SPAK over the Port of Durres concession. Balluku was accused of at least 6 criminal offenses in connection with the 30 million euro concession of the Port of Durres quay. The quay was granted as a 5-year concession to a company registered in a tax haven, in flagrant violation of tender requirements.

As for the Port of Durres, the DP filed a second lawsuit a year later against Balluk, but also against Prime Minister Edi Rama and Delina Ibrahimaj, as being implicated in the Port of Durres affair.

As for the Port of Durres, the DP filed a second lawsuit a year later against Balluk, but also against Prime Minister Edi Rama and Delina Ibrahimaj, as being implicated in the Port of Durres affair. 

The minister with the record number of directors in handcuffs 

Meanwhile, Balluku is the senior official with the largest number of directors under investigation by the Special Prosecution Office or arrested for corruption and abuse in tenders. 

Let us recall the case of Ergys Verdho, head of ARRSH and former head of KESH, who ended up in handcuffs in March. Minister Balluku's director is accused of "Corruption" and "Money Laundering".

Two entrepreneurs associated with him, Valter Begaj and Ervis Lamaj, have also been arrested on suspicion of the same criminal offenses./ S.Gj