Edi Rama asks Constitutional Court to review Deputy PM suspension, calls SPAK measure “unprecedented”

Prime Minister Edi Rama has formally asked the Constitutional Court to assess whether the suspension of Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku by the Special Court (GJKKO) represents an unconstitutional interference of the judiciary in the executive branch. The request was submitted Wednesday afternoon, shortly after Rama publicly raised the issue during the EU Enlargement Forum in Brussels.

Why is this important: The case marks the first time a sitting deputy prime minister has been suspended by court order, creating a constitutional dilemma over the balance of powers. Rama insists the government will fully respect the decision, but argues that justice institutions must clarify whether such a measure aligns with separation-of-powers principles.

Context: Speaking in Brussels earlier today, Rama described the GJKKO ruling as “unprecedented,” yet stressed that the government would not take “any political action” against the independent justice system. Instead, he said the Constitutional Court must determine whether the suspension amounts to overreach.

Rama also made clear that no replacement will be appointed for Balluku in either of her roles—Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure—while the case is under review.

He warned that the new justice system, though fundamentally better than the old one, is still prone to “errors born of inexperience,” but insisted the majority would never engage in confrontation with SPAK or GJKKO.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, asked about the case, declined to comment directly, praising instead the overall progress of Albania’s justice reform. Rama, however, added pointedly that in the EU “it is not a European standard for a minister to be suspended from duty, nor for an elected mayor to be kept in pretrial detention.”

Court confirms suspension and travel ban: The Special Court has upheld the suspension of Belinda Balluku and a travel ban against her, while ordering house arrest for two other officials, under investigation for suspected violations in two major infrastructure tenders. All three deny wrongdoing and have requested the court to lift the measures.