On 20 November 2025, the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime ordered two security measures against Balluku: suspension from her governmental duties and a ban on leaving the country. The decision followed her being formally charged by the Special Prosecution Office in connection with the Llogara Tunnel affair, including alleged violations of equality in public procurement related to the tunnel project and the fourth lot of Tirana’s Outer Ring Road.[3]
Early and personal life
Balluku was born on 9 October 1973 in Tirana.[4] She stated in an interview that her family was persecuted during the Communist era of Albania and that her dad, Çlirim Balluku, worked in bitumen mines in Selenicë.[5] Her grandfather was Beqir Balluku, an early member of the communist movement in Albania and the Minister of People's Defence, who was executed in November 1975 for organizing a coup against the government.[6]
She graduated from the Athens Institute of Technology with degrees in law and business administration, and later on obtained an honorary master's degree in management from the International Air Transport Association's facilities in Miami.[7] She was previously director of the companies of Albcontrol, the National Air Traffic Agency, and was a senior member of the state-owned mobile telephone company Telekom Albania as the Director of Customer Care and later of marketing.[4] She is the ex-wife of journalist Sokol Balla.[8] She has two children: Colin and Belen.[4]
In November 2025, Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) announced criminal charges against Balluku and several officials from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy in connection with the public tender for the Llogara Tunnel.[12] According to the prosecutors’ filing, Signal messages recovered from the phone of Evis Berberi, then director of the Albanian Road Authority, allegedly showed Balluku discussing tender deadlines and bidder details.[12] SPAK accuses the group of “creating unjust advantages” for the Turkish consortium Intekar Yapi & ASL Insaat in violation of Albania’s procurement laws (Law 162/2020 and Decision 285/2021). Balluku has denied any wrongdoing.
On 20 November 2025, the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime ordered two security measures against Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku: suspension from her governmental duties and a ban on leaving the country. Balluku had previously stated in parliament that she would not comment on ongoing investigations and had reaffirmed her support for the justice reform.[13]
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