Former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku faces five criminal charges involving 15 alleged episodes.
According to a statement by SPAK dated October 20, 2026, nine episodes concern violations of equality among participants in public tenders, while the others involve charges of passive corruption, failure to declare or concealment of assets, and laundering the proceeds of crime.
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The Llogara Tunnel, the Big Ring Road and the Albcontrol tender
The tender investigation focuses on the Llogara Tunnel project, the seven lots of Tirana’s Big Ring Road and a procedure conducted while Balluku was leading Albcontrol.
According to Albanian media reports, the Albcontrol case concerns work on the institution’s technology building, with a reported value of around 1.1 million euros.
Some reports have estimated the total value of the nine tender procedures at around 1.2 billion euros.
The villa in Dhërmi and businessman Pandeli Carapuli
Another part of the investigation concerns a villa in the “White Rocks” tourist complex in Gjilekë, Dhërmi.
According to SPAK, Balluku is suspected of requesting and receiving an improper benefit from the company “Eurocol” in the form of real estate unit F6, valued by prosecutors at 145,000 euros. The suspicion is linked to a tender won by the company while Balluku was director general of Albcontrol.
Businessman Pandeli Carapuli, who is connected to “Eurocol,” has been charged with money laundering as part of the same case. He appeared at SPAK today (October 28), accompanied by his lawyer.
Prosecutors suspect that the villa may have been used as an improper benefit in exchange for favoring the company in the tender procedure.
Igli Tare and the villa in Palasë
Another name appearing in the case file is former Albania national team footballer Igli Tare. On October 21, according to media reports, SPAK informed him that he was accused of money laundering.
Prosecutors suspect that Tare served as the person in whose name two villas linked to Balluku were registered, one in Dhërmi and the other in Palasë.
In connection with the villa in Palasë, businessman Arbër Abazi and a tender worth more than 20 million euros are also mentioned, along with suspicions of links between benefits from public procedures and real estate investments.
The five categories of charges against Balluku
The Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime today, October 20, 2026, notified the defendant Belinda Balluku of the final charges for the following criminal offenses:
“Violation of equality among participants in public tenders or auctions,” in collaboration (nine counts), under Articles 258/2 and 25 of the Criminal Code.
“Passive corruption of persons exercising public functions,” under Article 259 of the Criminal Code.
“Passive corruption of senior state officials or locally elected officials,” under Article 260 of the Criminal Code.
“Refusal to declare, failure to declare, concealment or false declaration of assets or private interests by elected officials and public employees, or any other person legally required to make a declaration” (two counts), under Article 257/a, paragraph 2, of the Criminal Code.
“Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity,” under Article 287, letter “b,” of the Criminal Code, committed under the aggravating circumstances of “in collaboration and more than once,” under Article 287/2 of the Criminal Code (in connection with two real estate properties).
The Special Prosecution Office is continuing concrete procedural steps to notify the other people involved in the same criminal case of the charges. Further details will be made public at a later time.
