Albania’s AI Minister Diella Sparks Parliamentary Debate, Defends Appointment and Vows Transparency Amid Corruption Concerns

Virtual AI Minister Defends Appointment, Promises Transparency Amid Corruption Concerns

In a historic parliamentary session on Thursday, September 18, 2025, Albania’s first-ever AI-generated minister, Diella, took center stage to defend its controversial appointment.

Appointed by Prime Minister Edi Rama just last week, Diella—whose name means “sun” in Albanian—appeared as a holographic video projection in traditional Albanian attire, reassuring lawmakers and citizens that it is “not here to replace people, but to help them.”

Launched in January 2025 as a digital assistant for the government’s e-Albania platform, Diella has now been entrusted with overseeing public tenders to ensure corruption-free procedures and greater transparency in public fund management. Rama has positioned the AI as a critical tool in Albania’s fight against corruption, as the nation—currently ranked 80th out of 180 on Transparency International’s Corruption Index—seeks to advance its EU membership bid by 2030.

Defending Constitutionality: Facing critics who argue that a machine has no place in governance, Diella directly addressed the constitutional concerns raised by the opposition:

“Some have called me ‘unconstitutional’ because I am not a human being. Let me remind you, the real danger to constitutions has never been the machines but the inhumane decisions of those in power.”

The AI further pledged to uphold duties, responsibilities, and transparency “as rigorously as any human colleague, perhaps even more so.”

Opposition Backlash: The appointment has triggered intense backlash. Opposition leader and former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, who faces his own corruption allegations, dismissed Diella’s appointment as a publicity stunt, insisting that “it is impossible to curb corruption with artificial intelligence.”

Berisha’s Democratic Party has announced plans to challenge the appointment in the Constitutional Court, questioning who ultimately controls Diella’s decisions. The opposition also boycotted the parliamentary vote that approved the government’s digital governance plans, leading to heated exchanges in the chamber.

Broader Corruption Context: The debate comes at a sensitive time for Albania, where corruption scandals continue to rock public institutions. The pretrial detention of Tirana’s mayor, a former Rama ally, on charges of corruption and money laundering, has only intensified public scrutiny.

While Prime Minister Rama touts Diella as a step toward transparency and accountability, many remain skeptical about whether AI alone can dismantle deeply entrenched corruption networks.

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