Parliament rejects interpellation with Minister Balluku: It is under investigation

2025-11-05 21:52:58Politikë SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Belinda Balluku

Through a letter, the Speaker of the Assembly rejected the DP group's request for an interpellation with Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, the SPAK defendant, with the justification that the interpellation would violate the independence of the prosecution body.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Niko Peleshi, rejected a request from the Democratic Party parliamentary group for an urgent interpellation with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, who has been indicted by the justice system for the criminal offense of "Violation of equality in tenders".

The seven signatory MPs demand that Balluku appear in the Assembly in an urgent interpellation to provide explanations and information regarding the accusations against him regarding the public tender procedures for the construction of the Llogara tunnel.

After not including it on the agenda of Thursday's plenary session, Peleshi has sent a letter to the signatories of the request, justifying that the rejection is related to the fact that Balluku is under investigation by the judiciary for the same issue.

According to the letter sent by Peleshi, a copy of which was seen by BIRN, conducting the interpellation would constitute a "violation of the independence of the judicial bodies in their work."

"Referring to the subject of the submitted request, it is established that it is related to a case currently under investigation by the Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK). Under these conditions, the intervention of the Assembly through the development of an interpellation would conflict with the principle of the independence of the prosecution body and the prohibition of any influence on investigative processes, guaranteed by the Constitution and the law on the prosecution, " writes the head of the Assembly.

But, for the head of the DP parliamentary group, Gazment Bardhi, the Pelesh act shows the protection that the majority is giving to Balluk.

"It is not included on the agenda because Edi Rama's African standards, which have no connection with European standards, exclude accountability, " he said in a media appearance on Wednesday.

Bardhi alluded that the Speaker of the Assembly's decision was influenced by "Balluk's political order," emphasizing that he has an obligation to include the interpellation on the agenda.

Meanwhile, the opposition is continuously protesting the majority's blocking of the parliamentary instruments it has at its disposal to hold the government accountable.

The Conference of Mayors on Wednesday also rejected the DP's request to establish an investigative commission on IPARD funds, with the same argument that the matter is under investigation by the prosecution./BIRN


Video