EditPetrol bombs in Tirana: Albania’s deepening crisis over corruption allegations against Rama’s inner circle
The unrest stems from accusations that a minister manipulated public tenders to favor select companies in multimillion-euro projects
Violent protests erupted in Albania’s capital on Monday as demonstrators hurled petrol bombs at the government headquarters housing Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office, demanding the resignation of his administration amid escalating corruption charges against Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku.
Riot police shielded the building but held back from dispersing the crowd, as tensions boiled over in a country already strained by political instability and stalled EU accession hopes.
The unrest stems from accusations by Albania’s Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) that Balluku, Rama’s closest ally and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, manipulated public tenders to favor select companies in multimillion-euro projects, including roads, tunnels, and Tirana’s ring road.
SPAK has sought parliamentary approval to lift her immunity for arrest, but Rama’s Socialist Party (PS), holding a solid majority, has delayed the vote—fuelling opposition claims of institutional capture.
“We have had enough because it’s a matter of tens and hundreds of millions of euros stolen, and she isn’t resigning. This is disgraceful,” said protester Arben Sulo during Monday’s demonstration. Balluku has dismissed the charges as “mudslinging, insinuations, half-truths and lies,” vowing full cooperation with investigators.
Earlier disruptions included opposition lawmakers setting off flares and scuffling with police in parliament on 18 December, demanding transparency on the allegations.
This crisis follows Rama’s landslide victory in May 2025 parliamentary elections, where his PS secured a historic fourth term with 83 of 140 seats, despite widespread opposition accusations of vote-buying, intimidation, and abuse of state resources. Observers from the OSCE noted “widespread intimidation” during the campaign, while opposition leader Sali Berisha called the results “stolen.”
Rama campaigned heavily on EU membership by 2030, portraying himself as Albania’s pro-European modernizer, but critics argue persistent graft scandals undermine these promises.
Rama’s tenure has been marked by high-profile anti-corruption drives – bolstered by U.S.- and EU-backed judicial reforms creating SPAK in 2019 – yet probes have increasingly targeted his allies, including Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj (arrested earlier this year) and former officials. A Constitutional Court ruling in December temporarily reinstated Balluku after an initial suspension, intensifying opposition outrage over perceived interference.
Adding to perceptions of gimmickry, Rama appointed an AI-generated “minister” named Diella in September 2025 to oversee public procurement and eradicate corruption through digital transparency. Presented as an innovative leap to “leapfrog” advanced nations, the avatar – clad in traditional Albanian attire – drew global headlines but was lambasted by opponents as a publicity stunt to distract from governance failures. Rama later announced Diella was “pregnant” with 83 virtual AI assistants for parliamentarians, further fuelling mockery.
Albania appoints AI bot as minister to combat graft in public procurement
Albania’s EU path remains a double-edged sword: Brussels praises progress on reforms but flags enduring corruption and organised crime links, including drug trafficking networks. Rama’s government has digitized services and secured deals like migrant processing with Italy, earning goodwill, but domestic discontent grows amid emigration, economic woes, and polarized politics.
As protests intensify – with opposition coalitions vowing continued street action – the Balluku case tests Rama’s grip on power. With parliament’s immunity vote looming and a full Constitutional hearing in January 2026, Albania faces a pivotal moment: whether SPAK’s independence holds or perceptions of “state capture” deepen, potentially jeopardizing EU aspirations in a volatile Balkan region.
With Reuters, edited by g.g.
Caption: A Molotov cocktail explodes near riot-policemen in front of the government headquarters during an anti-government protest in Tirana, Albania, 22 December 2025. The rally follows a request by the Special Prosecution (SPAK) for the arrest of Deputy Prime Minister Balluku over alleged tender manipulation in road projects, a move that has sparked a significant political crisis for Prime Minister Rama’s administration. EPA/MALTON DIBRA
Updated: December 23, 2025 - 06:25
