Supporters of the opposition Democratic Party demonstrated in Tirana against Edi Rama’s government after anti-corruption prosecutors indicted his deputy prime minister and raided officials at the National Information Agency.
Opposition Democratic Party supporters protesting in Tirana, December 22, 2025. Photo: BIRN
Thousands of Albanians joined a demonstration organised by the opposition Democratic Party outside Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office on Monday in Tirana, demanding his resignation after his deputy, Minister of Infrastructure Belinda Balluku, was charged with interfering with public procurements.
“This is only the beginning,” said Belind Kellici, a Democratic Party MP, vowing that protests will continue. Other, smaller opposition parties also held small protests at the weekend.
Albania’s Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organised Crime, SPAK has asked for Balluku’s parliamentary immunity to be lifted so she can be arrested.
However, Rama has criticised the charges against her and has given no sign that his Socialist Party majority in parliament will ease the process for SPAK until the Constitutional Court rules in January on Ballaku’s suspension from office. Balluku has described the allegations against her as “insinuations”, “half-truths” and “lies”.
The demonstrators in Tirana had also been angered by the news that SPAK has raided members of a suspected criminal group accused of manipulating tenders at the National Information Agency, AKSHI. The head of AKSHI, Mirlinda Karcanaj, and her deputy, Hava Delibashi, have been put under house arrest.
AKSHI is one of the most important institutions in the country. It manages almost the entire digital governance system through the e-Albania portal, while acting as an intermediary between citizens and various institutions in issuing online documents.