By Nicole Anliker, NEW ZUERCHER NEWSPAPER
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama had big plans when he appointed a chatbot to his cabinet. Now it turns out: the bot doesn't seem to be effective against corruption. Ironically, its creators are suspected of being fraudsters.
The sun never sleeps, does not receive a salary, has no personal interests and is therefore incorruptible. This is how Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced the first virtual member of his cabinet in the fall.
Rama officially gave the AI-created minister responsibility for public procurement. Her job is to compare bids in public tenders independently through algorithms. According to him, she will help ensure that these processes are 100% corruption-free, an area where abuse is considered widespread.
“She is my daughter,” Rama declared, “and she is very loyal to her father.” He stressed that the chatbot has no cousins, so it is not at risk of falling into nepotism, a common phenomenon. With this appointment, Rama – who has been in power for 13 years – attracted international attention: Diella (which means ‘sun’ in Albanian) is the first virtual minister in the world.
However, what looks like a good PR success is part of a larger plan. Rama aims to lead Albania into the European Union by 2030, and Diella is expected to help fight corruption – one of Brussels' main demands.
But after just six months in office, it seems the project has run into problems: the chatbot is facing a crisis of credibility and even a lawsuit.
Are scammers hiding behind the chatbot?
According to the government in Tirana, Diella was “born” on January 19, 2025, and was immediately introduced as a virtual assistant for the state-owned E-Albania platform. In the first version, she answered citizens’ questions and guided them step by step through online services.
A few months later, Diella took on a visual avatar that could speak: an ageless female figure, dressed in traditional costume from northern Albania, with a "glass" face, who helped citizens navigate the bureaucracy.
Behind Diella is the National Information Agency of Albania, AKSHI, which is responsible for the country's digital transformation and reports directly to Prime Minister Edi Rama. This agency developed the chatbot in collaboration with Microsoft.
However, in December, it was the agency's director and her deputy – the creators of Diella – who came under the spotlight. The Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime placed them under house arrest, filing serious criminal charges: they were suspected of being part of a criminal organization that systematically manipulated public tenders.
According to the indictment, they awarded contracts to related companies and, to eliminate competition, used pressure and threats. There are even reports of kidnappings. The media talk about a financial damage of 5 to 10 million euros diverted through these schemes.
Criticism for lack of transparency
The fraud scandal has severely damaged the credibility of the Sun. Critics agree: the virtual minister is part of the problematic system, not its solution.
From the beginning, when Rama introduced this innovation, the opposition protested, calling the initiative unconstitutional and propagandistic. Lawyers and experts also raised concerns about the lack of transparency.
It is not clear:
-what data feeds artificial intelligence,
-who programs and supervises it,
and on what criteria it makes decisions.
Its code is not public. There is also criticism of its lack of legal status: no one knows who bears legal and political responsibility in case of wrong or illegal decisions. This creates the risk that politicians or officials will shift the blame for cases of corruption to artificial intelligence.
However, the prime minister is not backing down from the criticism. He continues to support the virtual minister. On the government's official website, Diella is presented as part of the cabinet, just like real ministers.
In fact, at the end of October, Rama declared: “Diella is pregnant with 83 children.” These “children” are new chatbots that will serve as assistants for MPs – they will attend meetings, take notes, and give them advice.
Actress sues government
Opposition to the project has also come from the woman who gave voice and face to Diella. Albanian actress Anila Bisha has sued the government for unauthorized use of her image.
According to Bisha, the audio and video material she recorded was intended solely for the E-Albania chatbot and for a small fee. The contract expired at the end of 2025 and she claims she never gave consent to become the face of the virtual minister.
She went to court after the government refused her demands for a new contract. The Beast is seeking a ban on the use of her image until the case is resolved. So far, no action has been taken.
On the other hand, the government spokesperson described the lawsuit, in a statement to Politico, as absurd.
