The Israeli Businessman, Amiran Dzanashvili, who has been mentioned by
the opposition, explained in an interview for Top Channel all the
accusations made against him, especially on money laundering.
The 47-year-old from London explains his relations with the Albanian politicians. He said he has met Shkelzen Berisha several times when his father, Sali Berisha, was Prime Minister of Albania. He considers as ridiculous the accusations that he has given 2 million EUR to the Socialists for the electoral campaign of 2013.
Dzanashvili says that he has never been contacted by the Prosecution, which has started an investigation over money laundering, but he is ready to cooperate.
For Top Channel, Muhamed Veliu.
Top Channel: Mr.Dzanashvili, what country are you in while giving this interview?
Amiran Dzanashvilli: I am in London. I have been here for the past three days. Some of my businesses are ran from here.
Top Channel: Albanian media have reported that you were arrested in Romania. Is this true?
Amiran Dzanashvilli: It is not true. I wasn’t arrested, I was simply held for 13 hours after an incident that took place in a hotel. I own the biggest casino in Romania, one of the three biggest hotels. 50 persons were held after this incident. This was nothing of a problem for me.
Top Channel: So, you deny the accusations published in Albania, which say that you were held over prostitution and money laundering?
Amiran Dzanashvilli: I have no accusation related to this. I find it funny when money laundering is mentioned. It sounds like something bombastic and sexy. But I am not sure if people understand the definition of money laundering. Money laundering is when an individual uses money taken from criminal activities to put them in a legal company, by paying taxes. How can they accuse me of laundering money since so far I have lost money in Albania. I invested my money and they brought no profit. I hope that the situation will change and the profit will start coming. If not, I will return to Romania. I have never had any charges against me and I have never been sentenced. I am 47-years-old and I have never been accused of any crime.
Top Channel: In the past two days, your name has been mentioned in political debates. The former Prime Minister accused you of being a corrupted businessman with strong ties to Prime Minister Edi Rama. What is your comment about this?
Amiran Dzanashvilli: I know Sali Berisha as well as Zeni Berisha, since when Berisha was Prime Minister. I met him twice, in Albania and in Tel Aviv. I am a honest businessman and a foreign investor in Albania, without any political ties, but with hopes on politics. However, I know politicians in every country where I go, because of the casino business and often I have to meet the ministers of finances. I have never given money in the electoral campaign of Mr.Rama. I have met Rama twice before and after the election. I presented him some mega-projects from US investors who want to bring it to Albania. I consider Mr.Rama as an intelligent politician, but I have no special friendship with him, same as I don’t have with Berisha or Meta. I don’t understand why Berisha has given these declarations.
Top Channel: You mentioned “Zeni”, Shkelzen Berisha, the son of the former Prime Minister. Have you met him in Tirana for business?
Amiran Dzanashvilli: This was four or five years ago. I met him at his office. He had graduated for law, and I had two meeting with him without any consequence, when his father was Prime Minister.
Top Channel: Berisha accused you of giving 2 million EUR to Rama for the electoral campaign of 2013. Have you done this?
Amiran Dzanashvilli: That’s a nice joke.
Top Channel: This is all you have to say about it?
Amiran Dzanashvilli: Certainly, because it is a joke.
Top Channel: How many times have you met Berisha in Tirana when he was Prime Minister?
Amiran Dzanashvilli: Three or four times. I don’t remember. I have businesses in other Balkan countries too. That’s why I always keep meeting politicians, to understand how to advance with the businesses.
Top Channel: Do you have any friendship relation with any of the politicians you mentioned in Albania?
Amiran Dzanashvilli: I have never contributed in any political party in Albania or for any politician individually..
Top Channel: Are you aware of an investigation that the Albanian Prosecution has started against you for money laundering?
Amiran Dzanashvilli: I am very happy they are investigating. Let them investigate and see the results. I am ready to assist the Albanian prosecutors with whatever they need from my documents. My lawyers will have green light to give any document to the Albanian authorities.
Top Channel: Has the Prosecution contacted you so far?
Amiran Dzanashvilli: No.
Top Channel: Speaking of Lawyers, on April 24, 2013, you signed an authorization to allow your lawyers to get involved in fiscal transactions. One of them is Ajola Xoxa. Can you say if she has been hired by you?
Amiran Dzanashvilli: That lady works for a legal office, one of the companies that represented me in a purchase, when I bought Joy Loto. The lady worked for that company. That’s the only connection.
Top Channel: Have you hired her as your staff?
Amiran Dzanashvilli: no.
Top Channel: One day after the signing of this authorization, the Prosecution says that you bought from Mr.Ervin Cenollari 35% of shares with a 300.000 EUR value, and sold to Ofer Nimrodi 15% of the shares with a 1.8 million EUR value. How is this possible?
Amiran Dzanashvilli: The numbers are not right because the total agreemend had several phases. We bought part of the shars and now the company is totally ours. Everything is documented. My lawyers are ready to offer the entire transactions. Mr.Nimrodi bought shares that have nothing to do with me. The transactions were held in several phases.
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