Albanian opposition legislators clashed with police within the parliament building on Thursday, following several weeks of heightened tensions concerning allegations against Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku and other high-ranking officials, as reported by Reuters.
Members of parliament from the opposition ignited black flares, splashed water at the speaker, and took over seats designated for government ministers, aiming to disrupt the parliamentary session during the swearing-in ceremony of the nation’s new ombudsperson. Police stepped in, moving the lawmakers away from the rostrum and enabling the confirmation process to continue.
This disturbance occurs as Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure (SPAK) has formally asked parliament to remove Balluku’s immunity, which would allow her arrest on corruption allegations. A parliamentary vote on this request is anticipated for Friday.
Opposition members of parliament insisted on reviewing the official accusations presented to parliament after prosecutors initiated steps to revoke Balluku’s immunity. SPAK claims Balluku engaged in corrupt activities designed to benefit companies involved in significant infrastructure developments, such as a tunnel and the Tirana ring road. These projects are estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of euros.
Balluku, who also holds the position of Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, is regarded as Prime Minister Edi Rama’s most trusted associate. Rama’s Socialist party achieved its fourth consecutive term in office earlier this year.
Reuters reported that SPAK filed a criminal indictment against Balluku on October 31, asserting she unfairly favored a company in a bid for a 3.7-mile tunnel in southern Albania. Prosecutors subsequently added another charge on November 21, concerning alleged irregularities in a road construction project in Tirana, on the same day a .
Balluku has refuted these accusations. Speaking to parliament before a court appearance in November, she characterized the allegations as “slander, innuendos, partial truths, and falsehoods.”
This crisis has attracted condemnation from Rama’s adversaries and international attention. During a Digital interview released on December 13, Agim Nesho, former Albanian ambassador to the U.S. and the United Nations, stated that the government seemed determined to protect Balluku instead of permitting justice to operate autonomously, labeling the situation as “state capture.”
The U.S. State Department chose not to comment on the matter, informing Digital that it has “no comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”
and a crucial U.S. ally in the Balkans, with Washington providing financial support for judicial reforms designed to reduce corruption, as part of the nation’s aspiration to join the European Union.
Beth Bailey of Digital and Reuters contributed to this article.