The Deposit Insurance Agency (ASD) is expected to complete its executive management structure this month. After the appointment of the General Director, Mina Kusta, the Governing Council is also expected to decide on the appointment of the Deputy General Director. According to sources, lawyer Pamela Qirko is expected to be appointed to this position.
Qirko’s name has become known to the public as part of the vetting process, but also for her family connection to Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, as she is her sister. She has also appeared publicly as Balluku’s lawyer, after the latter was taken into custody by SPAK.
Pamela Qirko is a lawyer by profession and during the period 2017 to 2023 she served first as a member and then as the chair of the Independent Qualification Commission (IKC), the institution that led the transitional re-evaluation process of judges and prosecutors. Previously, her career was developed mainly in the private sector, where she worked for a long period at Telekom Albania/AMC.
However, her professional experience does not indicate that she has experience in the financial sector or in the administration of deposit insurance schemes.
A few weeks ago, Qirko attempted to return to the justice system by running for a seat on the Court of Appeal of General Jurisdiction in Tirana, but her candidacy was rejected by the High Judicial Council.
According to the statute of the Deposit Insurance Agency, the Deputy Director General is proposed by the Director General and appointed by the Governing Council. This body consists of five members, two of whom are appointed by the Bank of Albania, two by the Ministry of Finance and one by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants (IEKA).
Qirko’s expected appointment follows the appointment of Mina Kusta to head ASD, a position that had been vacant since July 2025, following the end of Genc Mamani’s mandate. Kusta has extensive experience at Albcontrol, where she held the positions of Economic Director and then General Director.
The changes in the management of the Deposit Insurance Agency come at an important moment, as the institution is preparing the reform of the organic law that will significantly increase the level of bank deposit insurance.
Currently, ASD guarantees bank deposits up to 2.5 million lek and deposits in savings and credit societies up to 2 million lek. The new draft law foresees that, in a first phase, the coverage limit will increase to 6 million lek, while with Albania’s membership in the European Union, full harmonization with the European directive is aimed at, bringing the guaranteed amount to 100 thousand euros.
Qirko’s expected appointment comes at a time when her sister, Belinda Balluku, continues to be investigated for charges related to corruption, abuse of public tenders, and favoritism in infrastructure contracts.
In this context, the fact that Pamela Qirko does not appear to have previous experience in the financial sector is expected to spark discussions, especially at a time when the Deposit Insurance Agency is preparing to implement important legal changes that affect the level of protection of citizens’ deposits.