On September 11, 2025, Albanian actress Anila Bisha, sitting with her family in front of the television, was watching the presentation of the new government cabinet by Prime Minister Edi Rama. Just a few minutes later, she saw herself appointed minister. Not as a flesh-and-blood politician, but as an avatar. "Diella", which Rama introduced as the world's first virtual minister, had the face and voice of Bisha.
For the government, this was a demonstration of technological innovation. For Bisha, with a 40-year career in theater and film, it was an unfamiliar situation. "At first I laughed with my family," she told DW. "I didn't understand the consequences that would come later."
Just five months after naming "Diella" as a symbol of digital modernity, the case ended up in court. Bisha claims that he was not informed that the avatar, which was produced to serve on the government portal e-Albania, would take on a ministerial role.
According to her lawyer, Aranit Roshi, the contract was limited in object and purpose. "It was an exclusive object, a clearly defined purpose. Her image and voice could not be used for any other product," he said.
The government has rejected the claims, stating that the lawsuit "has no basis" and that it is for the court to decide.
The court rejects the request for suspension.
Meanwhile, the Tirana Administrative Court rejected on Monday (23.02) the request for securing the lawsuit of actress Anila Bisha.
In the lawsuit against the AKSHI and the Council of Ministers, she requested the suspension of "Diella" until the final court decision, as well as 1 million euros in moral damages. With this decision, the interim measure was not accepted. "Diella" continues to remain in operation, but the trial of the case in the first instance will continue.
Protection of personal data
Legal experts say the dispute is not about copyright, but about the protection of personal data. "The core of the issue is the violation of personal data," says Elton Pepo, an associate professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Tirana.
According to him, Albanian legislation considers image and voice as personal data and any use of them must be limited in time and purpose, according to the contractual agreement. "Any use beyond the term or purpose agreed in the contract constitutes a violation," he explains to DW.
The lawsuit includes the Council of Ministers, AKSHI, the private company that produced the avatar, and Prime Minister Edi Rama. Bisha argues that the use of her image and voice in a political role exceeded the limits of the contract and violated her professional and personal identity.
According to Mark Marku, dean of the Faculty of History and Philology and lecturer at the Department of Journalism and Communication at the University of Tirana, such cases constitute a form of "double identity".
"Along with the image, you don't sell your personality," he tells DW, emphasizing that granting the right to use the portrait for a specific purpose does not mean transferring beliefs, values, or political roles. "No one has the right to take someone's identity and use it beyond what was agreed."
According to him, there is a fundamental difference between a digital assistant and a minister: the former responds within technical parameters; the latter speaks on behalf of the state.
Innovation under investigation
When introducing "Diella" as Minister of Artificial Intelligence, Prime Minister Edi Rama promised a new era where "public procurement will be 100% incorruptible and every public fund 100% transparent."
In practice, the avatar is not an isolated project, but part of the state digital governance system, administered by the National Agency for the Information Society (AKSHI). This institution manages the state's digital infrastructure, including the e-Albania portal, where "Diella" was initially implemented, state databases, IT systems and procurement processes. In December 2025, the Special Court Against Corruption imposed security measures against senior officials of the AKSHI, as part of an investigation by SPAK for suspected corruption and irregularities in tenders related to digital infrastructure and service contracts.
Public perception matters.
The investigation into AKSHI is legally separate from the lawsuit filed by Bisha for the use of her image. However, as media scholar Mark Marku argues, public perception matters. “If the allegations against AKSHI are proven, it seriously undermines the credibility of a process that was presented as a way to avoid corruption and eliminate human subjectivity – what I call ‘homo corruptus’ – in the allocation of public money.”
In parallel with the investigations into the former leaders of the AKSHI, the Socialists in the Laws Committee decided with their votes, on February 16, to amend the law on e-government. This paves the way for the agency to create or cooperate with joint-stock companies where the state owns at least 51% of the shares. The Socialists described this as "flexible financial corporatization" without violating public control. The opposition, meanwhile, opposed it, arguing that the changes come at a time when the AKSHI is under investigation by SPAK for suspicious tenders and raising questions about transparency and competition./DW
