In Albania, a country where public skepticism toward politics has long been matched only by cynicism about justice, a new player has entered the stage – and it is shaking the establishment to its core. The Special Structure against Corruption and Organized crime, better known by its Albanian acronym SPAK, has become the country’s most feared institution. Since its creation in 2019, the unit has steadily dismantled a culture of impunity that many Albanians once assumed was permanent. Now, it is ensnaring some of the most influential political and criminal figures in the nation, regardless of party affiliation – and not everyone is pleased.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, who initially hailed SPAK’s mission, is no longer as effusive in his praise. In the early years, the agency’s targets were mostly his political rivals, which made his public support an easy sell. But now, with arrests creeping closer to his own political circle, that enthusiasm has cooled noticeably.

SPAK began operations as part of sweeping judicial reforms demanded by the European Union. Joining the EU remains a central goal for Albania, with Rama pledging membership by 2030. One of Brussels’ top conditions is a clear and credible track record in combating corruption – a condition that SPAK has embraced with unprecedented vigor.

In a country where political loyalty has often shielded elites from prosecution, SPAK’s independence is a novelty. Opinion polls show that 76% of Albanians trust the agency, making it the most respected institution in the nation. That popularity comes from its willingness to challenge the........

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