Post by kapetan on Oct 8, 2008 9:51:51 GMT -5
07 October 2008 Tirana _ Albania’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister have dismissed accusations that their family businesses laundered money in a deal with a Bosnian businessman.
Albanian media reported allegations of shady transactions and money laundering between Damir Fazlic, a Bosnian businessman and a partner of the law office of Argita Malltezi, the daughter of Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
The reports also implicate the brother-in-law of Minister of Foreign Affairs Lulzim Basha, who worked as an administrator of Fazlic’s businesses registered in Tirana.
The allegation relate to the sale of one of Fazlic’s businesses, Crown Acquisitions, which was sold in June 2007 to Cyprus-based company, Altaria Research Limited, for €1.75 million, without holding any assets.
The sale was never registered in Albania’s tax authorities, and was facilitated by the Flutura Kola, a partner of Kola and Malltezi, the Tirana law office ran by Berisha’s daughter.
Erion Isufi, the brother-in-law of Basha, acted as administrators of the company. He also operated a series of companies registered by Fazlic in 2005, shortly after the centre-right coalition headed by Berisha won the parliamentary election.
Fazlic worked as a consultant with a US company, BG & R, which designed Berisha’s Democratic Party electoral campaign.
The office of the Albanian Prosecutor General Ina Rama, is currently probing the sale of Crown Acquisition and Fazlic’s other business in Albania.
In an interview in London with the Albanian private broadcaster Top Channel, Fazlic denied the accusation against him, saying that the Crown Accusations had never been sold.
“It is not true that the company was sold,” he said, while declining to give details.
The Bosnian businessman confirmed his ties to Berisha describing him as “a really good friend.”
The Albanian opposition has charged that Berisha and Basha were involved in corrupt deals with Fazlic.
“Independent information has given us yet another shivering report on the capture of the state by the corrupt clan of Prime Minister Berisha,” said Socialist leader Edi Rama.
“The work motive of this cabinet is to govern in order to make money and make money in order to stay in power,” Rama alleged.
“This affair confirms that Berisha is one of the largest traffickers in the Balkans,” said the head of the Socialist Movement for Integration, Ilir Meta.
Berisha denied the accusations in a parliamentary session on Tuesday and in turn threatened the opposition that he would open the “country’s crime archives” and transparency over them would not leave them very pleased.
Basha also denied the allegations against him.
“My family does not have any business with Mr. Fazlic,” Basha said, adding “that the accusations were an evil hysterical campaign.”
Albanian media reported allegations of shady transactions and money laundering between Damir Fazlic, a Bosnian businessman and a partner of the law office of Argita Malltezi, the daughter of Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
The reports also implicate the brother-in-law of Minister of Foreign Affairs Lulzim Basha, who worked as an administrator of Fazlic’s businesses registered in Tirana.
The allegation relate to the sale of one of Fazlic’s businesses, Crown Acquisitions, which was sold in June 2007 to Cyprus-based company, Altaria Research Limited, for €1.75 million, without holding any assets.
The sale was never registered in Albania’s tax authorities, and was facilitated by the Flutura Kola, a partner of Kola and Malltezi, the Tirana law office ran by Berisha’s daughter.
Erion Isufi, the brother-in-law of Basha, acted as administrators of the company. He also operated a series of companies registered by Fazlic in 2005, shortly after the centre-right coalition headed by Berisha won the parliamentary election.
Fazlic worked as a consultant with a US company, BG & R, which designed Berisha’s Democratic Party electoral campaign.
The office of the Albanian Prosecutor General Ina Rama, is currently probing the sale of Crown Acquisition and Fazlic’s other business in Albania.
In an interview in London with the Albanian private broadcaster Top Channel, Fazlic denied the accusation against him, saying that the Crown Accusations had never been sold.
“It is not true that the company was sold,” he said, while declining to give details.
The Bosnian businessman confirmed his ties to Berisha describing him as “a really good friend.”
The Albanian opposition has charged that Berisha and Basha were involved in corrupt deals with Fazlic.
“Independent information has given us yet another shivering report on the capture of the state by the corrupt clan of Prime Minister Berisha,” said Socialist leader Edi Rama.
“The work motive of this cabinet is to govern in order to make money and make money in order to stay in power,” Rama alleged.
“This affair confirms that Berisha is one of the largest traffickers in the Balkans,” said the head of the Socialist Movement for Integration, Ilir Meta.
Berisha denied the accusations in a parliamentary session on Tuesday and in turn threatened the opposition that he would open the “country’s crime archives” and transparency over them would not leave them very pleased.
Basha also denied the allegations against him.
“My family does not have any business with Mr. Fazlic,” Basha said, adding “that the accusations were an evil hysterical campaign.”