Former Tirana mayoral candidate Belind Këlliçi faces SPAK investigation over diploma forgery allegations

Belind Këlliçi, a former Democratic Party MP and one of the most vocal critics of the Albanian government and Tirana’s Mayor Erion Veliaj, is now under investigation by the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK). The investigation centers on allegations that Këlliçi falsified his high school diploma and provided false declarations during his candidacies for public office.

Why is this important: Këlliçi, who ran against Veliaj in the May municipal elections and lost by a landslide, has spent much of the time since launching attacks and accusations and organizing protests against the mayor. The investigation raises serious questions about the future of his political career. 

Context: SPAK suspects Këlliçi of forgery and providing false information. He is suspected of:

• Forging his high school diploma, failing to complete his final year at “Harry Fultz” high school in Tirana.
• Providing false information in self-declaration forms during his candidacies for MP and Tirana mayor, claiming he completed both secondary and university education.

The allegations, initially raised during his mayoral campaign, were dismissed by Këlliçi at the time, though he never provided a clear or substantive response.

Këlliçi’s defence: After being questioned for two hours by a SPAK prosecutor Këlliçi dismissed the accusations as politically motivated. “My education is my pride. I graduated from Coppin University in the U.S., following American law to the letter,” he stated. He emphasized that he has classmates and teachers who can verify his academic history but did not directly address the claims about his high school diploma.

Further investigations: In addition to forgery, Këlliçi is also under investigation for allegedly failing to declare assets linked to his partner. In response, Këlliçi denied cohabitation with Shkreli, a claim seen as an attempt to distance himself from the allegations. 

Këlliçi was also questioned about reports that he paid tens of thousands of euros for a photo opportunity with former U.S. President Donald Trump. He denied the claims, insisting, “I had no financial cost involved.”

The backstory: In 2023, Albanian daily Shqiptarja.com published a series of investigative reports alleging that Këlliçi falsified his high school diploma, manipulated Coppin University to gain admission, and misled Albanian institutions to validate his degree. The reports also highlighted discrepancies in his employment record, showing he held a directorial position in 2009 before his degree was officially certified in Albania in 2010 as required by law for position in the public administration.