Fiks Fare has continuously reported attempts by companies that have played the workers and the state with the former ARMO oil refinery in Ballsh, in the southwestern oil fields of Fier.
The investigative show reported that several shady firms were taking over the refinery, running up huge debts to workers, suppliers and state institutions, and then disappearing. The first denunciation came in 2018, as through interviews and documents we found that the debt that ARMO had to the state amounted to a full 600 million euros. But after the change of owners, the bank took ownership of the refinery.
After 2018, the refinery was reportedly leased to several firms, which although separate, had the same names as administrators and owners.
Fiks Fare even denounced that he had great doubts that Russian money was being thrown into that refinery, as was the firm “Gunvor”, based in Switzerland, but was suspectedly financed by the Kremlin. The company that worked for several years at ARMO was “Tosk Energji”, which left and after its departure, the entire Combine was dismantled for scrap.
Former employee Kamber Iljazi, and head of the Workers’ Union, complained to the Fiks Fare editorial office, telling that the refinery no longer exists as a result of bad management. One of the companies that mismanaged it is ‘Byllis Energji’. Even Tosk Energy, both with administrator Mr. Blerim Hoxha. He says he has worked with this company for some time, but when he was fired he took matter to the Administrative Court.
“I won the trial and about 3 million new lek to receive as a reward. But I did not receive any money, as the company has no assets. No one answers the phone in the offices”, says Kamber. He adds that companies and people have been a facade, as there were others behind them. “They robbed and destroyed that refinery. They don’t even repay any obligations,” he concludes.
State institutions, wittingly or unwittingly have allowed these firms that managed ARMO before dismantling for scrap, to create a huge debt. The debt is calculated in millions of euros, repeating the infamous affair during the administration of Rezart Taçi. No institution, even law enforcement, prevented this scheme, which has forced hundreds of employees to roam around with papers in their hands to look for phantom firms.
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