Disappeared when he had to give an account, Balluku appeared after months in the Parliament for Rama's reform amid SPAK investigations

Former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku appeared in Parliament late last night, not to provide answers to the issues being investigated by SPAK, but to vote on the Territorial Reform that reduces the number of municipalities from 61 to 46.

After several months of absence from parliamentary sessions, the former minister returned to the hall at a crucial moment for Edi Rama's majority.

Balluku raised the pro-reform card, thus joining the majority that approved the merger of 15 municipalities in the country after the ultimatum that Rama had given at the group meeting .

In fact, as previously reported in the media, her presence did not go unnoticed, but also caused clashes and tensions with the opposition.

Balluk's return cannot be separated from the issue that has placed him at the center of public attention for months.

We recall that SPAK has taken her into custody for violating equality in the Llogara tunnel tender and has also investigated her for other procurement procedures. In December 2025, the Special Prosecution Office requested the Assembly for authorization to arrest her and lift her immunity, but in March 2026, the parliamentary majority did not approve SPAK's request and the Assembly voted against lifting her immunity. 

Against this background, its presence for the vote on the Territorial Reform brought numerous reactions about the way the majority functions and the standard of accountability applied to its representatives.

For a decision that directly affects the representation of local communities, Balluku was present and voted in favor in the middle of the night, while her issues with justice remain unresolved.

Therefore, Balluk's vote is seen as support for Rama's project, who publicly came out in defense of Balluk, stating that she was not accused of corruption and that the investigation should continue without political interference.

Balluku did not appear last night to answer questions related to the SPAK investigations, nor to the debate on the Assembly's decision not to authorize her arrest, although public accountability remains an issue that cannot be avoided with just a vote in the Assembly.

The reform approved after midnight foresees the merger of 15 municipalities with other local units, even though there have been protests by citizens for months, in parallel with opposition from the opposition, with arguments that changing the map serves the government's electoral interests and not the needs of citizens./S.Gj-Politiko.al