Opinion from Muriel
A dangerous act is being played out in the corridors of power in Tirana that could determine the pockets of Albanians for the next decade. The Bank of Albania, the institution that should be the citadel of financial stability, is being treated as a “menu” where oligarchs and politics choose their people. It is not simply an appointment procedure; it is an operation to shift monetary sovereignty to the clans that control the money and construction in the country.
At the heart of this scandal lies a clear division of spheres of influence between two lobbying camps, with the blessing of Edi Rama:
a) The Prime Minister's Proposals
These are names that Rama sends directly to the Assembly. Reliable sources indicate that behind them stands a business close to his family circle. The aim of this group is to turn the Supervisory Council into a private shield to guarantee the inviolability of monopolies.
b) Assembly seats
This is where the theater of “competition” is taking place. About 20 candidates have applied for three seats, but everything seems predetermined. Another big businessman is putting pressure on the deputies to elect his “loyalists”, while he has already secured influence over the Governor through the employment of his wife at Tirana Bank.
The opening and closing of applications during the 2025 New Year holidays was a quick and planned operation. The list of candidates shows a bitter reality: most have been willing to serve the interests of oligarchs, politics, or the Prime Minister himself. They are not looking for independent professionals, but people loyal to economic power.
In 2025, the Assembly accepted a procedural absurdity: applications were not allowed to be sent by official mail, but only by hand. This obligation created space for power brokers to check every file before protocoling, preventing anyone who was not part of the circle of interests.
Faced with this bargain, there is only one way out: the immediate cancellation of the process and the reopening of the competition with total transparency. The deputies have a moral and constitutional obligation not to allow this capture of the most important financial institution in the country.
The Assembly cannot turn into a notary office for the oligarchy. Every MP who votes for predetermined names is voting against the public interest. The competition must be reopened, applications made digital and public, and the best experts in the field invited.
SPAK should investigate the procedure for submitting files and the connections between politics and big business. The Bank of Albania is not a shop for oligarchs. If this board embraces the interests of the mafia today, Albanians will pay the cost through money laundering and the increase in the cost of living for years to come.
