Following the reports of The New York Times, the French media outlet Libération has also dedicated an article to corruption in Albania, focusing particularly on AKSHI. The newspaper ironically notes that the virtual minister Diella, created to symbolize the fight against corruption, comes from an institution that is itself the subject of investigations for abuses.
Libération also cites a European Commission report, which states that corruption in Albania remains “widespread.” The article also mentions specific cases, including the arrests of several senior socialist officials, such as the case of Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj.
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Executives of the government agency that created Diella, the minister of artificial intelligence, are under investigation for suspected links to a criminal organization, accused of manipulating public procurement in the country.
The AI-generated Albanian minister spoke during the parliamentary session dedicated to voting for the new Albanian government, in Tirana, on September 18, 2025.
Dressed in a traditional costume and with a broad smile, Diella was supposed to be the face of the Albanian government’s fight against corruption. A symbol of the commitment of Tirana authorities to fight this scourge, this Albanian minister generated by artificial intelligence is now a collateral victim of a wide-ranging investigation. The New York Times sheds light on the dark background of the creators of this virtual assistant, linked to the National Agency for the Information Society, as reported on Tuesday, January 27.
On December 16, the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption and Organized Crime announced that it had filed charges against eight Albanian citizens, including the director of the National Agency for the Information Society and her deputy. This institution, which manages the government’s digital infrastructure, oversees a significant number of public online systems in Albania, including the famous artificial intelligence-generated minister, Diella.
According to the prosecutor's statement, the suspects are believed to be linked to a "structured criminal group" responsible for manipulation and intimidation in the awarding of public contracts. The range of charges is wide, including "violation of the principle of equal treatment of participants in public tenders or auctions", "unfair competition through violence", as well as "illegal deprivation of liberty".
“Independence and professionalism”
Officially appointed in September as “Minister of Public Procurement” by Prime Minister Edi Rama, Diella has spoken several times before Albanian MPs and at international conferences. This virtual minister was created primarily to assist citizens in their relations with public services. She aimed to guarantee transparency and deal a serious blow to the corruption that has been widespread for years among public officials.
The agency’s director and her deputy have not yet been formally charged. “We have to wait and see,” Prime Minister Edi Rama said, as reported by The New York Times. The head of government also added: “At the same time, we must be aware that this institution must guarantee not only its independence, but also its professionalism.”
Albania, which aspires to join the European Union, has made the fight against corruption a government priority. This policy is also a key condition for EU integration. Since May 2025 and the victory of his pro-European party in the parliamentary elections, Edi Rama has launched extensive investigations, including important cases against former President Ilir Meta and the Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj.
However, although a European Commission report published in November acknowledged Albania's "some progress" in this area, European experts assess that corruption still remains "widespread" in the country.
