The Albanian Parliament and the Prime Minister's Office have presented opposing arguments to the Constitutional Court against the decisions to suspend Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku from office and block her passport, calling them contrary to the Constitution.
At the court hearing, the Legal Director of the Assembly, Mimoza Arbi, stated that according to constitutional provisions, deputies enjoy immunity and cannot be obstructed, arrested or prosecuted without the approval of the Assembly. According to her, criminal prosecution and restrictive measures can only be carried out with the consent of the Assembly, therefore the decisions to suspend from office and block the passport were taken in violation of constitutional principles.
On the other hand, the representative of the Prime Minister's Office, Jona Jonuzaj, defended in the Constitutional Court the appeal against the decision of the GJKKO to suspend Balluku as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister, a decision taken after the SPAK request for her arrest. According to the Prime Minister's Office, this decision violated the principle of separation of powers.
"The Criminal Court claims that this request cannot be filed, arguing that there is no constitutional legal relationship. We clarify that this is not about an individual constitutional complaint nor about the defense of the defendant, but about the relationship between the three branches of government. Does the criminal court have the right to suspend a minister from office? We believe that it does not," said Jonuzaj.
The Constitutional Court is expected to review the parties' arguments and decide on the constitutional validity of the measures taken against Belinda Balluku.
