Protesters in Tirana hurled petrol bombs at the government building housing Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office on Monday, demanding the administration’s resignation amid corruption charges against Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku.
Political unrest has surged in recent weeks following accusations that Balluku, alongside officials and private firms, diverted state funds to favored companies on major infrastructure projects. Last month, she rejected the claims in parliament as “slanderous insinuations, untruths, and lies,” pledging full cooperation with investigators.
Albania’s Special Prosecution Office against corruption and organized crime requested parliamentary approval this week to lift Balluku’s immunity for arrest. It’s unclear when the vote will occur, given Rama’s Socialist Party majority.
Riot police protected the building but held back from dispersing the crowd as bombs flew. “We’ve hit our limit—tens and hundreds of millions of euros stolen, and she won’t resign. It’s outrageous,” said protester Arben Sulo.
Balluku also heads the Ministry of Infrastructure, overseeing massive road, bridge, and tunnel projects worth hundreds of millions.
