Current status of Grunasi firm, especially retribution (legal or extra-judicial) against former employees by the general public, the Socialist Party or its agents [ALB34277.E]

In an 18 April 2000 telephone interview, a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist based in Tirana stated that Grunasi was founded in 1994 and was closed down in 1996. In total, 1,314 individuals had invested US$ 8.4 million (18 Apr. 2000). When the company ceased its activities, it owed US$7 million to 1,308 creditors. The manager, Aleksander Grunasi, who fled in November 1994, was tried in absentia and found guilty of fraud. According to the RFE/RL journalist, the manager is believed to be either in France or in Romania, despite an international warrant issued by Interpol. The journalist also referred to an accountant named Eleni Bojaxhi,, who was arrested in November 1996, prosecuted and found guilty of fraud after a creditor who had deposited US$62,000, sued her for a fraud worth US$50,000.

Two 1998 Albanian Telegraphic Agency articles also mentioned that Coopers & Lybrand were to audit 12 Albanian loan-taking companies among which was Grunasi (ATA 23 May 1998; ATA 21 May 1998).

No reports on retribution (legal or extra-judicial) against former employees by general public, the Socialist Party or its agents could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Response.

References


Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA). 23 May 1998. "Government Approves Foreign Ministry Draft-Acts Package" http://www.telpress.it/ata/1998\may_98\hdarch23.htm [Accessed 13 Apr. 2000]

_____. 21 May 1998. "Labour Cost of Coopers & Lybrand Figured Out $1.8 Mln" http://www.telpress.it/ata/1998\may_98\hdarch21.htm [Accessed 13 Apr. 2000]

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 18 April 2000. Telephone interview with a Tirana-based journalist.

Additional Sources Consulted


IRB Databases

Lexis-Nexis

Resource Centre Country File. Albania.

Internet Sites, including:

Albanian Daily News

Albanian Yellow Pages

Balkanika

Central Europe Review

Le Courrier des Balkans

Infobel.com

Keesing's

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)

Transitions

World News Connection (WNC)

Search Engines, including:

Dogpile

Ecila

Fast Search

Francité

Google

Lokace

Metacrawler

Nomade