TIRANA, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said his government would change the law to protect ministers from suspension while they are under criminal investigation, prompting the opposition to accuse him of trying to protect himself and undermining the independence of the judiciary.
A court suspended Rama's deputy, Belinda Balluku, in November after Albania's anti-corruption prosecutors, known as SPAK, indicted her on allegations of interference in a tender for infrastructure projects, which she denies.
The case has caused a clash between SPAK, which has asked parliament to lift Balluk's immunity to allow her arrest, and Rama, who has complained about the judiciary exceeding its powers, particularly with regard to pre-trial detentions.
Albania aims to join the European Union by 2030, but the bloc has stated that the country must do more in the fight against crime and corruption.
Rama's Socialist Party, which secured a fourth consecutive mandate last year, has a comfortable parliamentary majority and it remains unclear if and when the Assembly will lift the immunity of Balluku, who has also served as Minister of Infrastructure and is a close ally of the prime minister.
“The moment a minister is dismissed, it is not just one person who is dismissed, but the work of the entire institution,” Rama told his party’s MPs on Monday, announcing the plan to change the law.
The opposition has staged a series of protests in recent months in the capital Tirana demanding Balluk's resignation. On Monday, it said Rama is seeking to control the judicial processes in his favor through amendments.
“This is nothing more than an attempt by Rama to protect himself, by undermining both the independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers… because behind Balluk and her actions stands Rama,” the Democratic Party of Albania said in a statement to Reuters.
https://www.reuters.com/world/albanian-pm-seeks-stop-judiciary-dismissing-ministers-2026-02-16/
