SPAK has intensified the accusations against former government number two Belinda Balluku, who is now officially under investigation for passive corruption and money laundering, not only accused of abuse of office.
Prosecutor Dritan Prençi’s investigations have led to the seizure of a villa belonging to Belinda Balluku worth 145 thousand euros in the tourist village of Dhërmi, in the “White Rocks” tourist resort.
The connection between Belinda Balluku (former Deputy Prime Minister) and businessman Pandeli Carapuli (owner of the company “Eurocol” sh.pk) is based on SPAK’s investigations regarding a luxury villa at the “White Rocks” resort in Gjilekë (Dhermi).
The villa was allegedly hidden in the name of former national football player, Igli Tare, who was also questioned by SPAK today.
SPAK announcement:
The Special Prosecution Office has continued the investigations against citizen Belinda Balluku, who is currently being held as a defendant for the criminal offense of “Violation of equality of participants in public tenders or auctions”*, in collaboration and after conducting further investigative actions, is also suspected of committing the criminal offenses of “Passive corruption of persons exercising public functions” and “Laundering of the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, in collaboration.
Following the investigations conducted within the framework of criminal proceedings no. 136/2025, following the request submitted by the Special Prosecution Office, the Special Court of First Instance, with decision no. 412, dated 3.6.2026, has imposed the “preventive sequestration” property insurance measure on the immovable property, indirectly owned by citizen Belinda Balluku, located in the “White Rocks” tourist resort, Gjilekë, Dhërmi, Himarë Municipality.
According to the results of the investigation so far, there are suspicions that the seized property is related to the irregular benefit, requested and received by the citizen Belinda Balluku, in exchange for favoring the economic operator, through a public procurement procedure developed by Albcontrol sh.a. The investigations have also identified the use of suspected fictitious legal acts, with the aim of concealing the origin and real ownership of the property.
The property placed under “preventive sequestration” consists of a “Two-storey individual villa type Begonia with No. F6, the fenced plot available to the villa is no less than 300 m2. Villa F6, within this plot, has an area of 103m2 (ground floor 54 m2 and first floor above ground 49 m2). Villa F6 also has a 34m2 veranda. The parking space is located within the plot area. [Referring to the order contract with no. 1059 rep, no. 650 col, date 05.12.2018]
From the performance of other investigative actions, within the framework of criminal proceedings no. 136 of 2025, the pursuit of investigations with special methods, the collection of digital evidence and other evidence administered up to this stage of the preliminary investigations, data on new criminal facts against the defendant Belinda Balluku, suspected of committing the criminal offenses “Passive corruption of persons exercising public functions”, provided for by Article 259 of the Criminal Code, “Laundering of the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity”, in collaboration, provided for by Article 287 paragraph 1, letter “b” of the Criminal Code, in the qualifying circumstance “in collaboration”, according to Article 287, paragraph 2, of the Criminal Code.
The administered acts have resulted in data on illegal actions of citizen Belinda Balluku in relation to the procurement procedure with the object: “Reconstruction of the Albcontrol technological building for improving conditions”, with a limit fund of 88,651,633 (eighty-eight million six hundred and fifty-one thousand six hundred and thirty-three) lek, as well as “Contract Addendum for ‘Reconstruction of the Albcontrol technological building for improving conditions'”, with a value of 14,161,814 (fourteen million one hundred and sixty-one thousand eight hundred and fourteen) lek excluding VAT.
In connection with the above-mentioned procedure, it results that citizen Belinda Balluku, in the capacity of the head of the contracting authority “Albcontrol” sh.a, with the duty of General Director of “Albcontrol” sh.a, in cooperation with citizen Evis Berberi, with the duty of Head of the Procurement Sector, as well as the members of the Procurement Unit, citizens SP, EN and AM, have committed illegal actions in violation of Law No. 9643, dated 20.11.2006 “On Public Procurement”, as amended, as well as Council of Ministers No. 1, dated 10.1.2007 “On Public Procurement Rules” (as amended).
These actions are related to the phase of project preparation and procedure development, in determining the criteria and approving the tender documents, by predetermining and creating unfair advantages and privileges for the winning company of the procurement procedure, the economic operator “Eurocol” sh.pk.
The favoring of the winning company continued even at the moment of signing the contract, by offering an immediate prepayment of 50% of the contract value, as well as during the implementation of the contract and its addendum.
The investigation results that citizen Belinda Balluku, due to her public function as General Director of Albcontrol sh.a, in exchange for favoring the company “Eurocol” sh.pk in the aforementioned procedure, has requested and received an irregular benefit, which, referring to the order contract, is worth 145,000 (one hundred and forty-five thousand) euros, consisting of real estate, specifically villa no. F6, in the “White Rocks” tourist resort, Gjilekë, Dhërmi, Himarë Municipality, Vlorë District, with the developer being the company “Eurocol” sh.pk
The irregular benefit was sought during the development of this procurement procedure, where it results that at that time the company “Eurocol” sh.pk had applied for and was provided with the Complex Development Permit no. 2385/1 prot., dated 27.3.2015, approved by the Decision of the National Territorial Council no. 7, dated 7.3.2014, “On the approval of the complex development permit for the tourist resort in the village of Gjilekë, Dhërmi, Himarë Municipality, Vlorë District”.
To hide this property as the proceeds of a criminal offense, citizen Belinda Balluku used citizen IT and her subordinate at Albcontrol sh.a., citizen JB.
Thus, it results that citizen Belinda Balluku has performed the fictitious act of the order contract no. 1059 rep., no. 650 col., dated 5.12.2018, concluded between citizen IT and the owner of the company “Eurocol” sh.pk, citizen PC.
Illegal actions in the form of laundering the proceeds of crime continued by citizens Belinda Balluku, IT and JB, carrying out another fictitious action, that of the rental contract (hand contract), dated 25.5.2022, and the amendment to this contract, dated 26.4.2024.
Investigations continue to fully document the facts, identify other persons involved, and determine the relevant criminal responsibilities.
Clarification: Every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final judicial decision.
Note to journalists*
Citizen Belinda Balluku is accused of committing the criminal offense of “Violation of equality of participants in tenders or public auctions”, in collaboration, provided for by Article 258/2 and 25 of the Criminal Code, in the procurement procedure with the object of “Construction of the Llogara tunnel” on the Orikum-Himar road section, part of the SH8 highway (Vlora-Saranda);
Citizen Belinda Balluku is suspected of committing the criminal offense of “Violation of equality of participants in tenders or public auctions”, in collaboration, provided for by article 258/2 and 25 of the Criminal Code, in seven cases of procurement procedures for the construction of the Tirana Outer Ring Road.