The Albanian minister is embarrassed during the interview: Why are you favouring the Russian-related company?

At this conference, which takes place every three years, Albanian Minister for Infrastructure and Energy Damian Gjiknouri was present.

Gjiknori was invited to the studio for an interview regarding this meeting, as well as other developments in Albania that deal mainly with sectors covering the ministry it heads.

Voice of America: Since we are talking about EU conditions that require, among other things, efficiency in fighting corruption. Mr. Minister, in Albania the agreement is towards finalisation in the field of hydrocarbons for three oil facilities of Cakran-Mollaj, Goshtre-Koculi and Amonica. Your ministry 9 May has ordered the establishment of a negotiating group for linking hydrocarbon deals with the Transoil Group AG company. But allegations have been cast on the press, thanks to investigations conducted that you are favouring the company associated with the Russian company Gazprom. Do you have any comment on this?

Damian Gjiknuri: This selection has been made on the basis of an open international procedure. Second, the Transoil company, which you mention, has an event in Albania since 2011-12, if not mistaken, as a company registered in Switzerland. So this is not a new thing. Third, I don't have such information and I wanted to say that if it were, you think that American officials, who cooperate very closely with the Albanian government in the hydrocarbur sector would be able to meet with me and welcome to such a big international activity, if American interests were to be questioned? I guess this question doesn't need answers, because all that's been done there is transparent, it's something in the process, because negotiations aren't over. Hydrocarbon agreements require the terms the Albanian government wants and can be accepted by the investor. But in my knowledge, I have no proof that there might be such charges. For the first time, Albania is developing such transparent procedures in the oil field because they were previously given directly.

Voice of America: The link to media investigation has been noted in a letter that the representative in Albania of the AG Group Shefqet Dizdari has added to Gazprom Neft's international business development director, following the company's 2017 interest show at “Jurimex Kommerx Tranz Ges”, for these three locations.

Damian Gjiknuri: First of all, I don't know what communications companies have. Gazprom is a large company that operates with many companies in Europe. But I don't know and I'm sure there's no direct interest in Gazprom, or a company directly linked to Gazprom, so he can take over these oil fields. How many communications Gazprom has with other companies I cannot speculate. On the other hand, we must understand that there is no legal ban on Russian companies or other states to participate; there is no legal ban. It's another thing the Albanian government can do within the authority it has and within the national security clauses to refuse an offer or not, but legally it is not that capital origin is prohibited unless any company is on the US and other sanctions list.

Voice of America: Do you know who the owners of the AG Transoil Group are?

Damian Gjiknuri: It's a company with multiple owners registered in Switzerland, because it's a stock company, so it's traded on the state stock exchanges. Capital origin has no fundamental significance as long as it does not affect processes that can challenge national security. Public companies that trade freely, that you know, that you live here in the United States, that those that trade freely in stock markets, the origin of capital doesn't matter, as long as it's regular through the international financial system, I consider it acceptable. The company in question, with all the information I have and the article you mentioned, was registered in the Swiss state, and secondly, operated in Albania before I became a minister.

Voice of America: In Albania, the Transoil Group operates through Transil U.S., which since 2012, works in another oil field of Visoca. Mr. Minister why has a company (Transil Group) of cash-bound obligations or oil quantities to Alpentro or violated deadlines that serve her work? I remind you, these three countries were tendered after being led before deadlines by other companies because of the accumulate of financial obligations or crude oil to Albpetrol.

Damian Gjiknuri: In contractual relations, companies create obligations. In my information, and in my available documentation, there's an agreement between Albpetrol and this company to make up for these obligations. Above all, there have been difficulties from Albpetrol to attract a quantity of oil in time because of the deposit load. The removal or break-up of other companies' agreements has occurred beyond the deadline, when the parties have agreed on the deal. Thus, a debtor is given opportunity and a deal is made; when they have reached deadlines, even when they have spent six months of material offenses and have not been corrected, then we are in the condition of breaking the agreement. In Transoil's case, we're not in these conditions. The important question is the basic question: How was this company selected? It was selected on the basis of an open international procedure, and this has been done by the Albanian government since 2014 until today. We don't have any oil procedures anymore than 2013. / VOA