Bullet discovery turns reported bear attack into homicide investigation
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A death in the Bulqizë mountains, initially thought to be a bear attack, is now being investigated as a homicide after a bullet was discovered in the chest of the 53-year-old victim. This significant development has prompted authorities to change the course of their inquiry into the man's death.
In the political sphere, an independent investigation by the Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has been requested into the alleged conflict between Prime Minister Edi Rama, leader of the Socialist Party, and Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj, also a member of the Socialist Party. This follows Mayor Veliaj's previous allegation that Prime Minister Rama threatened his resignation.
Further developments in corruption probes include the discovery of traces linked to Belinda Balluku, a Member of Parliament for the Socialist Party, at a hidden villa in Dhërmi. Balluku was dismissed from her roles as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy in February 2026 amid a corruption investigation, though she remains under investigation with a travel ban.