The Constitutional Court announced on Wednesday that the preliminary examination of Prime Minister Edi Rama’s request to suspend the Special Court’s decision against Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku will be held on December 12, 2025.
The court announced that the decision to postpone the government’s request is related to “the complexity of the case, the volume of accompanying materials, the agenda of the Court, as well as the request of some of its members.”
“The Court informs that the preliminary review of the case by the Meeting of Judges will take place on 12.12.2025 due to the complexity of the case, the volume of accompanying materials, the Court’s agenda, and based on the request of some of its members,” the announcement states.
The “Balluku” case was referred to the Meeting of Judges after the Constitutional Court Panel failed to reach a unanimous decision to accept or reject the lawsuit filed by the Prime Minister.
On December 12, the court is expected to decide on the legality of the government’s request, including the request to suspend the decision of the Special Court (GJKKO), which suspended Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku from executive duties, until the conclusion of the trial of the case on the merits.
At the core of Rama’s request to the Constitutional Court is not only the request for Balluk’s ‘reinstatement’ to office, but also the resolution of the dispute over competence between the government and the Special Court regarding the right to suspend a serving minister.
Since submitting the request, Prime Minister Rama has increased public pressure on justice institutions, considering the suspension of a member of the government cabinet as a “unique and dangerous precedent.”
On the other hand, the GJKKO’s decision to suspend Balluku and ban her from traveling abroad was made after Balluku was indicted on charges of violating equality in tenders, under suspicion of manipulating two procedures worth 210 million euros, in collaboration with several of her close subordinates.
The Prime Minister has called the decision “absurd” and with “consequences that specifically affect the functioning of the government and the public interest.”
He has argued that the suspension measure is blocking the normal work of the government, citing as an example the inability to complete the signing of the bilateral agreement with Canada on the launch of transoceanic flights. According to Rama, the exclusive powers that the Constitution recognizes to the minister cannot be delegated, and consequently, any action that requires Balluk’s signature is blocked.
“The procedure for approving and signing the agreement cannot continue, as the Constitution grants exclusive authority for these steps to the minister, and his decision-making powers cannot be delegated to anyone else,” Rama wrote on the “X” platform.
In addition to the agreement with Canada, Rama writes that 36 other acts of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy are awaiting the minister’s signature, among them 18 related to the reconstruction process. According to him, each day of extension of the suspension adds to the list of blocked works, creating concrete consequences for the administration and public services.
“There are 36 other acts of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, of which only the acts for reconstruction are 18, which remain suspended along with the minister,” Rama declared.
“Every day that the suspension is extended, the list of blocked jobs also extends,” Rama writes.
By decision of the GJKKO, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Belinda Balluku, has been suspended from duty and banned from leaving the territory of Albania.
The Deputy Prime Minister was charged with violating the equality of tenders during the construction process of the Llogara tunnel. SPAK claims that she monitored and controlled every step of the project, worth around 190 million euros, and predetermined the winner in violation of standard public procurement criteria. The project is considered one of the most expensive in the country’s infrastructure in the last five years.
The second tender in which Balluku was found responsible is that of Lot 4 of the Tirana Outer Ring Road in 2021, with a limit fund of 2 billion lek excluding VAT, developed by ARRSH. According to SPAK, it has resulted that in this case too, Balluku has consistently followed and guided the procedure of this public procurement developed by ARRSH, an institution subordinate to the ministry she heads.
Lindita Çela është një gazetare investigative e shquar, e njohur për raportimet e saj të përpikta dhe të guximshme mbi krimin e organizuar dhe korrupsionin në Shqipëri. Me një karrierë që shtrihet për mbi dy dekada, Çela është konsoliduar si një figurë e rëndësishme në fushën e gazetarisë investigative, duke fituar vlerësime si në nivel kombëtar ashtu edhe ndërkombëtar për punën e saj.
