Ilir Beqaj

Ilir Beqaj (born 18 February 1968) is an Albanian IT engineer and politician with the Socialist Party of Albania, who served as the Minister of Health of Albania from 15 September 2013 to 12 March 2017.

On July 4 2024, Beqaj was apprehended by the police following an order from Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) prosecutors.

Beqaj faces charges of misusing SASPAC funds that were distributed to Albania by the European Union.

On March 18, SPAK charged the former minister with abuse of office in connection with a 100 million euro concession for sterilizing surgical equipment in state hospitals.

Beqaj had been under investigation for several months and reported to SPAK every Friday until the day of his arrest.

Biography
He is married to Adriana Beqaj and has a daughter, Deborah.

He holds a post-graduate degree in Enterprise Management at the French Management Institute at the Polytechnic University of Tirana (1999–2000).

He completed his university studies in information technology at the University of Tirana (1985–1990).

He used to work at the Bank of Albania as an information technology expert from 1990 to 1993 and as part of the Fiscal Information Unit from 1993 to 1994. For the period between 1994 and 2006, Beqaj held various functions within the Social Insurance Institute. He was appointed Director General of the Institute from 2003 to 2006.

Was elected as Member of the Assembly of Albania for Shkodra constituency in the 2009–2013 legislature. In the last 2013 parliamentary elections he was elected as Member of the Albanian Assembly for Durrës constituency.

He is member of the Socialist Party Assembly since 2007.

From 2007 to 2011 he held the office of the assistant secretary of the programme of the Socialist Party.

He is a member of the Party's chairmanship and Secretary of Programme at the Socialist Party since 2011.

He is fluent in English, French and Italian.