Albania’s parliament on March 12 rejected a request from anti-corruption prosecutors to lift the parliamentary immunity of former deputy prime minister Belinda Balluku, preventing her arrest in connection to a corruption case and prompting protests from opposition supporters in the capital.

Lawmakers voted 82 to 47 against the request submitted by the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organised Crime (SPAK), with the ruling Socialist Party of Prime Minister Edi Rama using its majority in the 140-seat chamber to block the move. Balluku, who is a Socialist lawmaker, did not attend the vote.

The decision does not stop the legal proceedings against Balluku but prevents prosecutors from placing her in pre-trial detention while the case moves forward in court.

Balluku, a prominent member of Rama’s Socialist Party, served as Albania’s infrastructure and energy minister since 2019 and was appointed deputy prime minister in 2022. She was recently removed from her post as part of a cabinet reshuffle. 

Prosecutors accuse her of favouritism in the awarding of tenders for two major construction projects in Tirana worth several hundred million euros. According to SPAK, she allegedly granted an unjustified advantage to a bidder during the procurement process.

Balluku has denied the allegations, while Rama has previously downplayed the accusations against one of his closest political allies.

The former minister was suspended from her government duties by a special court in November after being indicted. Rama formally dismissed her from both her government posts last month following SPAK’s request for her arrest, though she continues to hold her parliamentary seat.

The vote sparked tensions both inside and outside parliament. Opposition lawmakers from the Democratic Party protested during the session, banging on desks and holding banners demanding Balluku’s arrest.

Outside the parliament building in Tirana, several hundred opposition supporters gathered for a demonstration organised by Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha. Police deployed heavy security around the area, with roughly 1,500 officers stationed near the building, according to local media reports.

The situation briefly turned tense after the vote when some protesters attempted to push through a police cordon. Demonstrators threw fireworks and spray toward police before the protest ended after a short speech by Berisha, who thanked supporters and called for another nationwide protest on March 22.

The case has also drawn attention from Western partners, who have urged Albania to maintain strong anti-corruption efforts as part of its path toward European Union membership.

Ahead of the parliamentary session, the British embassy in Tirana said parliamentary immunity should not prevent equal accountability before the law and stressed the importance of safeguarding the rule of law.

Following the vote, the German embassy said effective and unhindered prosecution of high-level corruption cases was essential for Albania’s EU integration, adding that political leaders were responsible for ensuring the process could proceed without obstruction.

SPAK was established in 2019 as part of sweeping judicial reforms backed by the European Union and the United States, aimed at tackling corruption and organised crime in Albania. The body has been praised by EU officials for pursuing several high-profile investigations involving senior political figures, including Berisha and former president Ilir Meta. However, concerns remain about corruption in Albania.