SPAK expands investigation into Belinda Balluku: Villa in Palasë seized amid suspicions of corruption, money laundering and tender violations

The Special Prosecutor’s Office has published new information concerning the investigation into former Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku.

According to SPAK, investigative actions have uncovered suspicions of corruption, concealment of assets and laundering of the proceeds of criminal offenses. At the center of the investigation is a villa in the “Green Coast” complex in Palasë, which the prosecution claims is factually owned by Belinda Balluku.

The property is suspected of having been concealed through documents and fictitious actions, and was registered in the name of citizen Igli Tare. The case is also linked to the tender for the “Construction of the Tirana Outer Ring Road, Lot 7,” with a limit fund of 2 353 597 373.94 lekë excluding VAT.

SPAK suspects that Balluku favored the consortium of economic operators “Alko-Impex General Construcion” and “2T” sh.p.k., in exchange for receiving investments and construction work at the villa in Palasë. At the request of the Special Prosecutor’s Office, the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) ordered the preventive seizure of the property on 09.09.2026. The property has a total area of 478 m2.

The Special Prosecutor’s Office has continued its investigation as part of criminal proceeding no. 136 of 2025 against defendant Belinda Balluku for the following criminal offenses:

“Violation of the equality of participants in tenders or public auctions,” committed in cooperation and on eight occasions, provided for under Articles 258/2 and 25 of the Criminal Code.

This charge concerns procurement procedures for the “Construction of the Llogara Tunnel” on the Orikum-Himarë road segment, part of the SH8 highway (Vlorë-Sarandë).

The investigation also covers the procedure concerning the “Completion, coordination and continuation of works at Sheshi Shqiponja–Tirana River, Lot 1 and QMT.”

Another procedure concerns the “Construction of the Sheshi Shqiponja–New Boulevard road segment, Lot 2.”

It also concerns the “Construction of the Sheshi Shqiponja–New Boulevard–Shkozë road segment, bridges over the Tirana River.”

The list of procedures also includes the “Construction of the Tirana Outer Ring Road, Lot 4.”

The investigation is also linked to the “Construction of the Tirana Outer Ring Road, Lot 5.”

Another procurement subject is the “Construction of the Tirana Outer Ring Road, Lot 6.”

The final procedure mentioned is the “Construction of the Tirana Outer Ring Road, Lot 7.”

Balluku is also suspected of “Passive corruption of persons exercising public functions,” provided for under Article 259 of the Criminal Code, as well as “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity,” committed in cooperation, under Article 287, paragraph 1, letter “b,” and paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code.

SPAK states that, during further investigative actions, including the use of special methods and the collection of digital and other evidence, information was obtained concerning new criminal facts allegedly involving Belinda Balluku.

According to the evidence collected, the suspicions of unlawful actions concern the tender for the “Construction of the Tirana Outer Ring Road, Lot 7,” with a limit fund of 2 353 597 373.94 lekë excluding VAT, an amount expressed in the SPAK announcement as two billion, three hundred fifty-three million, five hundred ninety-seven thousand, three hundred seventy-three point ninety-four lekë.

The prosecution claims that Balluku, in her capacity as Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, together with the head of the contracting authority, Evis Berberi; members of the procurement unit, Miranda Shkurti, Dhurata Lazaj and Nikollaq Mihali; and members of the bid evaluation committee, Arbër Troka, Gëzim Noni and Arlinda Gordani, created unfair advantages for the winning consortium of economic operators “Alko-Impex General Construcion” and “2T” sh.p.k.

According to SPAK, these actions were carried out in violation of Law no. 162/2020, “On public procurement,” Articles 18, 19, 21, 42/2, 56, 76, 77, 80, 92 and 95 thereof; Law no. 9367, dated 07.04.2005, “On the prevention of conflicts of interest in the exercise of public functions,” as amended, Article 3 thereof; and Council of Ministers’ Decision no. 285, dated 19.05.2021, “On the approval of public procurement rules,” Articles 7, points 1, 2 and 9, 26, 27, 47, points 2, 3 and 4, 73, 82 and 93.

The investigation has found that Belinda Balluku is suspected of being the beneficial owner of the immovable property “Family Villa 2F no. 188/1, Nukli 27,” in the “Green Coast” complex, Palasë, Himarë. According to the prosecution, the property was undeclared and concealed.

To avoid registering the property in her own name, Balluku is suspected of having used citizen Igli Tare. For this purpose, fictitious actions were carried out through a construction contract dated 26.10.2020, in the amount of 250,000 euros, which covered the investment up to the construction of the property’s shell.

The works to complete the property were subsequently allegedly undertaken and carried out by citizen Arbër Abazi, owner of “Alko Impex General Construction,” which was part of the consortium of operators declared the winner of the tender for the “Construction of the Tirana Outer Ring Road, Lot 7.” According to the cost estimate, the value of the investment ranged from 288,616 euros to 410,526 euros.

SPAK claims that Balluku, by exploiting her position as Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, requested and received an improper benefit from Arbër Abazi in the form of investments and construction work at the villa “Family Villa 2F no. 188/1, Nukli 27,” in the “Green Coast” complex, Palasë, Himarë, in exchange for favoring the company “Alko Impex General Construction” in the procurement procedure.

To conceal the benefit allegedly derived from corruption, Balluku is alleged to have used Igli Tare once again. In this context, according to SPAK, further fictitious actions were carried out to create ownership documentation and register the property in his name through a fictitious sales contract dated 12.09.2025.

The prosecution emphasizes that, under Article 3, point 2, letter “a,” and Article 7, point 1, of Law no. 9049, dated 10.04.2003, “On the declaration and audit of assets, financial obligations of elected officials and certain public officials,” as amended, Balluku had a legal obligation to declare this property. According to the investigation, this obligation was not fulfilled in order to conceal the property through documentation created in Igli Tare’s name.

Regarding the new criminal facts linked to the villa in the “Green Coast” complex, SPAK has raised the following suspicions:

Belinda Balluku is suspected of the criminal offenses of “Passive corruption of senior state officials or locally elected officials” and “Refusal to declare, non-declaration, concealment or false declaration of assets and private interests of elected officials and public officials or any other person legally required to make a declaration,” provided for under Articles 260 and 257/a of the Criminal Code, as well as “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity,” under Article 287, letter “b,” under the qualifying circumstances of “in cooperation and more than once,” pursuant to Article 287/2 of the Criminal Code.

Arbër Abazi is suspected of the criminal offense of “Active corruption of senior state officials or locally elected officials,” provided for under Article 245 of the Criminal Code.

Igli Tare is suspected of “Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity,” under Article 287, letter “b,” of the Criminal Code, committed under the qualifying circumstances of “in cooperation and more than once,” pursuant to Article 287/2 of the Criminal Code.

The legal entity “Alko Impex General Construction,” a company owned by citizen Arbër Abazi, is also suspected of committing the criminal offense of “Active corruption of senior state officials or locally elected officials,” provided for under Article 245 of the Criminal Code.

Following a request from the Special Prosecutor’s Office, the Special Court of First Instance against Corruption and Organized Crime, in decision no. 591, dated 09.09.2026, ordered the imposition of the asset security measure of “preventive seizure” on the property “Family Villa 2F no. 188/1, Nukli 27,” in the “Green Coast” complex, Palasë.

The property is registered in Cadastral Zone 1739, under property number 68/87/73, Volume 9, Page 148. It has a total area of 478 m2, consisting of 478 m2 of land and 142.6 m2 of building space, with the following description: ground-floor area of 142.6 m2, first-floor area of 128.6 m2, area under parking space 1 of 20.1 m2 and area under parking space 2 of 40.2 m2.

The Special Prosecutor’s Office said that the investigation is continuing and that the necessary actions will be carried out to fully clarify the circumstances and criminal facts that are the subject of the proceedings.

Every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final court ruling.