Balluku: formal charges and consolidated SPAK file (October 2026)
Status: Formal charges reported 20 Oct 2026 (Reuters, citing the prosecution office's statement). File reported concluded 28 Oct 2026. Investigation deadline for Balluku reported as January 2027. No trial date, court or case number found. Presumed innocent until a final court ruling.
Summary
On 20 October 2026, Reuters reported that Albania's Special Prosecution Office formalised corruption charges against former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, citing an emailed statement from the office. As reported by Reuters, the charges are violation of equal treatment in public tenders, passive corruption and money laundering, linked to the award of two 2021 construction contracts worth more than 200 million euros. The Reuters text gives no article numbers, counts, court or case number. On 28 October 2026, Balkanweb and Albanian Daily News reported that the investigation was concluded and the file was ready for trial, naming 26 defendants in total. Albanian Daily News reports 15 alleged episodes and nine tenders worth about 1.2 billion euros; Balkanweb says more than 1 billion euros and gives no tender count. These are press reports of the prosecution file, not SPAK totals. Balluku did not respond to Reuters, and no response was found in the 28 October reports.
Key facts
- Reuters (20 Oct 2026, fetched via The Star): the Special Prosecution Office 'confirmed the charges in an emailed statement'.
- Charges as listed in the fetched Reuters text: violation of the equality of participants in public tenders or auctions; passive corruption; money laundering ('laundering the proceeds of criminal activity').
- Values as reported by Reuters: two construction contracts awarded in 2021, worth more than 200 million euros.
- Albanian Daily News (28 Oct 2026, fetched): 15 alleged episodes; nine tenders about 1.2 billion euros; tenders named include Llogara, seven Tirana Greater Ring Road sections, and the Albcontrol technology building.
- Balkanweb (28 Oct 2026, fetched, ?p=3070401): 26 defendants (Balluku and 25 others); 15 notified of the conclusion on 28 Oct, the rest the next day; investigation deadline for Balluku January 2027; 'a series' of tenders including Llogara and Great Ring tenders.
- Article numbers for the 20 Oct 2026 charges were not found. Balkanweb (16 Dec 2025, fetched) reports the tender-equality charge under Articles 258/2 and 25 of the Criminal Code.
The record
Four lists kept apart on purpose: what is established, what is only alleged, what is still open, and what those concerned said.
What is proven (1)
Established by documents or official records, as stated in the research. A recorded charge or indictment proves only that the accusation was made.
- Reuters reports that the Special Prosecution Office announced formal charges on 20 Oct 2026 by emailed statement. The statement text itself was not retrieved.
What is alleged (1)
Accusations, not findings. Those accused are presumed innocent.
- AllegationAll charges and all counts. No court has ruled on any of them.
Allegations and who made them (3)
Each line is an allegation as recorded, with the person or body that made it where the record names them.
- AllegationSPAK alleges violation of equality among tender participants in the Llogara and Outer Ring Road tenders (as reported by Reuters, 20 Oct 2026, and by Balkanweb, 16 Dec 2025).
- AllegationSPAK alleges passive corruption and money laundering in the villa episodes (as reported by Balkanweb, 9 Sep 2026).
- AllegationJournalist Klodiana Lala, as quoted by Balkanweb (28 Oct 2026), describes the tenders as predetermined and worth more than 1 billion euros. This is commentary, not a SPAK finding.
Open questions (4)
- Primary SPAK press release for 20 Oct 2026 and 28 Oct 2026 was not retrieved.
- Criminal Code article numbers for the 20 Oct 2026 charges (passive corruption, money laundering, concealment if charged) were not found.
- Counts and tender numbers are not reconciled across sources (see gaps).
- Reuters says the office would 'formally communicate the charges to the other individuals involved', implying co-defendants had not yet been notified on 20 Oct 2026.
Responses (2)
Responses of the people and organisations concerned, as recorded.
- Balluku: no public comment after the 20 Oct 2026 charges and no reply to Reuters' request for comment (The Star, 20 Oct 2026, fetched).
- Balkanweb (28 Oct 2026, fetched): no statement from Balluku in the article.
Figures
Money trail →Value of the two 2021 construction contracts named in the 20 Oct 2026 charges (as reported by Reuters)
€200,000,000
contractSource label: Officially reportedStated definition: Reuters: 'more than 200 million euros ($225 million)'. A lower bound as reported. The two contracts are not named in the fetched Reuters text.
Date: 2021 · Payer: Albanian state · Payee: not named in source
- Albania formalises corruption charges against ex-deputy PM Balluku (Reuters via The Star, fetched) (opens in a new tab)The Star (Reuters) · 20 Oct 2026 · journalism · EN
Value of nine tenders under investigation (Albanian Daily News figure, not a SPAK total)
€1,200,000,000
tenderSource label: Under investigationStated definition: 'Reportedly approximately 1.2 billion euros' (Albanian Daily News, 28 Oct 2026). Balkanweb (28 Oct 2026) gives 'more than 1 billion euro', citing a journalist. Neither is a SPAK figure.
Date: 28 Oct 2026 · Payer: Albanian state · Payee: tenders (not individually valued in sources)
- Former Albanian Deputy PM to face trial over alleged 1.2 billion tender scheme (Albanian Daily News, fetched) (opens in a new tab)Albanian Daily News · 28 Oct 2026 · journalism · EN
Timeline
Full timeline →SPAK
SPAK seizes Palasë Villa 188/1 and issues notice on new criminal facts against Balluku
As reported by Balkanweb (fetched), SPAK's notice says the investigation 'resulted in data on new criminal facts' against Balluku: passive corruption, failure to declare assets and money laundering. Subject: Villa 188/1 in Palasë, 478 m2 land, 142.6 m2 building (cadastral zone 1739). The notice names Arbër Abazi, Igli Tare and Alko Impex as other suspects. It names no apartments. Balkanweb's 9 Sep live report (fetched) says the seized properties are suspected of being held indirectly by Balluku, and that SPAK has not explained how it established this.
SPAK
Balluku told investigation concluded and file ready for trial (Albanian Daily News)
Albanian Daily News (28 Oct 2026, fetched) reports that prosecutors formally informed Balluku that the investigation into her case has been concluded and the file is ready for trial. It describes 15 alleged episodes, nine tenders worth about 1.2 billion EUR, and two coastal villas allegedly owned by her but registered to another person. The article does not mention apartments, the number 300, or any statement from Balluku or her lawyers.
SPAK
Investigation reported concluded; file reported ready for trial (26 defendants)
Albanian Daily News (28 Oct 2026, fetched) reports that the investigation into Balluku 'has been concluded and the file is ready for trial', with 15 alleged episodes across nine tenders worth about 1.2 billion euros. Balkanweb (28 Oct 2026, fetched, 21:23) reports 26 defendants, with 15 notified on the day and the rest the next day, the investigation deadline for Balluku as January 2027, and 'more than 1 billion euro' in her case, citing journalist Klodiana Lala. Neither article quotes a SPAK communique. The 'ready for trial' wording is press-reported, not a court step.
Sources for this record
Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 6 sources.
Source label: Officially reportedOfficially reported · 6 sources
- Publisher
- The Star (Reuters)
- Date
- 20 Oct 2026
- Publisher
- Internazionale (Reuters)
- Date
- 20 Oct 2026
- Publisher
- Albanian Daily News
- Date
- 28 Oct 2026
- Publisher
- Balkanweb
- Date
- 28 Oct 2026
- Publisher
- Balkanweb
- Date
- 9 Sep 2026
- Publisher
- Balkanweb
- Date
- 9 Sep 2026