The European Union warns of consequences for Albania's EU membership bid, while former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku faces corruption charges.
Prime Minister Edi Rama and the ruling Socialist Party defended Belinda Balluku, for whom the Special Prosecution Office (SPAK) is seeking her arrest.
Albania's parliament voted on Thursday against lifting the immunity of former deputy prime minister Belinda Balluku, who faces corruption charges. The decision prompted warnings from Brussels about the consequences it could have on the country's European Union accession process.
Prime Minister Edi Rama and the ruling Socialist Party defended Balluk, for whom the Special Prosecution Office (SPAK) is seeking his arrest, under suspicion of interference in infrastructure projects worth over 200 million euros.
Balluku was dismissed by Rama at the end of February, both from the posts of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy. She denies any wrongdoing.
“The European Union takes note of the result of today’s vote in the Parliament of Albania. Commitment to the rule of law and the fight against corruption are of fundamental importance for the EU accession process,” a European Commission spokesperson told POLITICO on Thursday.
“Ensuring an appropriate environment for SPAK to effectively carry out its work is essential to credibly support Albania’s progress towards EU membership.”
The embassies of Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands also reacted to the vote, reiterating Brussels' position that the judicial process should not be hindered.
To join the EU, “effective prosecution of corruption, even in high-level cases, is an essential prerequisite,” declared the German Embassy in Tirana, calling on the Albanian government to respect the rule of law.
“It is our clear expectation that justice will be able to pursue these cases quickly and without hindrance,” she added.
Rama reacted with a statement on the social network X, saying that “we all agree 100 percent” with the “expressed principles.” He insisted on Albania’s path towards EU membership by 2030 and that the government in Tirana fully supports SPAK.
"Today the governing majority did exactly what any democratic parliament in Europe would do," the prime minister wrote.
He argued that approving prosecutors' requests to arrest a deputy must follow the Constitution and cannot be treated as "crossing Schengen borders without checks."
Balluk's predecessor in government, Arben Ahmetaj, is also wanted by SPAK on corruption and money laundering charges. The Albanian Ministry of Justice filed a request for his extradition from Swiss authorities in late 2025.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, also a member of Rama's party, has been in detention since his arrest in 2025 on similar charges.
