Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama criticized recent arrests related to the “Kurum” hazardous waste scandal, calling the measures unjust and arguing that the cases did not meet democratic standards for pretrial detention. Rama made the remarks in his weekly podcast “Flasim” on Sunday.

On February 3, 2026, the Durrës Prosecutor’s Office issued 33 precautionary measures against individuals suspected of involvement in the scandal, including shareholders and administrators of companies connected to waste trading. Officials from the Customs and Environmental agencies are also implicated. Among those detained are J.K., I.K., H.L., E.V., and Sh.J., all from the Durrës Customs Branch, who were placed in pretrial detention, while former director of the National Environment Agency, A.D., was placed under house arrest.

The case centers on 102 containers carrying approximately 210 tons of hazardous waste, originally destined for Thailand, which were returned to Albania in November 2024 after being flagged by the Basel Action Network. Investigations revealed that the containers were loaded at the Port of Durrës in early July 2024, and that this was not the first shipment of suspected waste, as a similar load had previously been blocked by Chinese customs.

Rama argued that opposition parties should not expect to gain power through the judicial process, emphasizing that “it is the Albanian people who vote and decide who governs the country.” He described recent mass arrests as part of a worrying trend of “arrests without trial,” criticizing what he called the misuse of judicial power in politically sensitive cases.

The prime minister said his government remains committed to the rule of law and democratic governance, asserting that efforts to enforce justice must not undermine political stability or public trust.