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Albania Appoints AI Bot “Diella” as Minister to Oversee Public Procurement

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Albania has broken political ground by appointing an AI-generated bot named Diella as its new minister of public procurement, tasked with awarding and managing government tenders.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, beginning his fourth term, introduced Diella on Thursday, describing her as the first cabinet member to exist only virtually. “Diella will make Albania a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption,” he said.

Public procurement has long been one of Albania’s most corruption-prone areas, tied to scandals involving money laundering by organized crime networks. Experts say graft within state contracts has also slowed Albania’s EU accession ambitions, which Rama hopes to achieve by 2030.

Who is Diella?

  • The name means “sun” in Albanian.

  • She debuted earlier this year as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, helping citizens and businesses access official documents.

  • Diella appears dressed in traditional Albanian attire, provides support via voice commands, and can issue documents with electronic stamps, reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks.

Skepticism and Risks

While Rama hailed Diella’s incorruptibility, critics have raised questions about:

  • The extent of human oversight, which the government has not clarified.

  • The potential for AI manipulation or hacking, which could undermine the anti-corruption mission.

  • Public skepticism — one social media user quipped, “Even Diella will be corrupted in Albania.”

Political Context

The new parliament, elected in May, is set to convene on Friday, though it remains uncertain if Rama’s government lineup will be formally approved immediately.

If implemented effectively, Diella could mark a world-first experiment in AI-led governance. But whether an algorithm can untangle entrenched corruption in Albania remains an open question.

Czech Government Faces No-Confidence Vote Amid Bitcoin Payment Scandal

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The Czech government is set to face a no-confidence vote on Tuesday following allegations of corruption tied to a $45 million bitcoin payment accepted from an ex-convict, opposition parties announced Thursday. Despite the ruling centre-right coalition holding a parliamentary majority, the move could damage its prospects ahead of the October 3-4 general election, where the opposition currently leads.

Justice Minister Pavel Blazek resigned on May 31 after accepting the bitcoin payment on behalf of the state but denied any illegal conduct. Opposition groups, including the ANO party led by former Prime Minister Andrej Babis, have demanded Prime Minister Petr Fiala step down, calling the transaction a clear sign of corruption.

ANO vice-chair Alena Schillerova said on social media that filing the no-confidence motion was their only option. The bitcoin donation, totaling 468 bitcoins, came from a man who served prison time between 2017 and 2021 for crimes including drug trafficking, fraud, and illegal weapons possession.

Critics argue that Blazek may have inadvertently legitimized the ex-convict’s assets instead of involving law enforcement to properly secure them. Current opinion polls show Babis’s ANO party leading significantly over Fiala’s governing coalition.

Belgium Investigates EU Parliament Bribery Linked to Huawei

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Belgian prosecutors have detained multiple individuals in connection with an alleged bribery scheme within the European Parliament, reportedly benefiting Chinese tech giant Huawei. Authorities conducted coordinated searches across Belgium and Portugal early on Thursday, targeting 21 locations. In addition, two parliamentary assistant offices were sealed following a court order.

Huawei responded to the allegations, expressing serious concern and committing to working with authorities to fully understand the situation. “Huawei has a zero tolerance policy towards corruption or any misconduct and is dedicated to complying with all applicable laws and regulations,” the company stated.

According to Belgian prosecutors, the suspected bribery occurred discreetly since 2021, disguised as commercial lobbying. The scheme involved payments made for political favors, as well as lavish gifts such as travel expenses, food, and invitations to football matches. The prosecutors’ statement revealed that these actions were allegedly intended to benefit Huawei.

The European Parliament has confirmed it received a request from Belgian authorities for assistance in the investigation and pledged to cooperate fully. Additionally, a suspect was also arrested in France, though prosecutors have not released the identities of the detained individuals or any information leading to their identification.

The detained suspects are facing questioning over their involvement in the alleged corruption, forgery, and use of false documents within the Parliament.