Balluku appeared before the special prosecution office, known as SPAK, on Friday to be formally informed of additional accusations linked to several public procurement procedures. Balluku is so far the highest-ranking Socialist official to face criminal charges and an expanding investigation into alleged high-level corruption and abuse involving public funds. The Balluku case is therefore becoming a test of whether those institutions can continue their work when an investigation reaches the center of political power. SPAK previously announced that Balluku was also under investigation over the alleged acquisition of a villa in the southern coastal village of Dhërmi. But the Balluku investigation has shown how political support for independent justice can weaken when prosecutors target one of the government’s most senior figures.