Document #1170832
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
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