Today, well-known journalist Artan Hoxha, appearing as a guest on the “Shqipëria Live” program, provided several details about the case involving Belinda Balluku and SPAK’s investigations into her.
“We should look at Belinda Balluku from two perspectives: first, as an ordinary citizen of the Republic, and second, as a representative of highly important interests, namely as Prime Minister Rama’s right-hand woman, one of the most powerful figures during Prime Minister Rama’s third term and the beginning of his fourth. The fact that she won a region such as Fier with an extraordinary result created the impression that she was very powerful,” Hoxha said at the outset.
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According to the journalist, when the confrontation with SPAK began, the way SPAK dealt with Belinda Balluku appeared to depart from the practice it had followed up to that point.
“It indicted Belinda Balluku without imposing a security measure on her, perhaps because they thought she would resign, as had happened before. Second, when the security measure was imposed and they approached Parliament, they encountered opposition there. Parliament did not approve SPAK’s request. On the other hand, Belinda Balluku’s situation today is unusual because she remains the Socialist Party’s representative for Fier, the country’s largest region, and an MP. She is subject to two security measures. One is that she may not travel abroad, while at the same time she continues her political and public life,” Hoxha said.
Speaking about why she has not been arrested, the journalist said:
“My principle is that when dealing with politicians at such a high level, you must have built a solid case and completed the investigation. In Belinda Balluku’s case, the allegations have involved corruption at very high levels.”
Asked what new information had emerged, Hoxha said that another corruption charge had been added.
“SPAK is trying to take away her territory little by little and limit her room to maneuver. While Belinda Balluku initially exerted pressure at the highest levels, she is now being forced to retreat. In my view, the investigation should have been completed by the time she was indicted. As an ordinary citizen, Belinda should have resigned, and that could have made things much easier for her. The fact that she did not do so has prompted SPAK to add charges.
As for what SPAK has accused her of so far, or what we have seen, let us be clear that there is much more involved. Some things have not come out at all, while there are other things we know but do not disclose. In this particular case, we expected more than these villas,” Hoxha said.
Asked whether there were more than two villas, the journalist said “yes.”
“She did not have these opportunities before becoming deputy prime minister and acquiring such extensive power,” he said.
Hoxha added that SPAK was aware of this, but had not yet become convinced that it could prove the allegation.
“There are cases where SPAK, according to them, has not yet become convinced that it can prove the allegation. They are focusing on the villas linked to Igli Tare because that attracts prime-time coverage, as foreign media also report on it. It is not that SPAK is not investigating other avenues; the question is whether they have reached a firm conclusion and found the necessary evidence,” the journalist said.
