Albanian justice reform and SPAK scrutiny

Albania’s justice reform and the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure (SPAK) have come under intense scrutiny following allegations of political interference and procedural flaws.

Initial criticisms focused on the conduct of special prosecutors and judges, with concerns that judicial decisions are being made without the presence of involved parties. Journalist Artan Hoxha argued that anti-corruption efforts should prioritize the seizure of illicitly gained assets rather than just arrests, alleging that Prime Minister Edi Rama has provided protection to former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku.

This scrutiny intensified as former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj accused segments of SPAK of overturning the constitutional order through “pseudo-justice.” Ahmetaj claimed the vetting process operated under the political guardianship of the “head of the organization,” referring to Prime Minister Rama. He stated he possesses documents and audio recordings to support claims regarding the vetting process, criminal cases, and defense and energy contracts. Unsubstantiated hypotheses have emerged regarding whether these intercepted materials were obtained by foreign intelligence services.