Libertas refuses to go public on party funding despite claims to be the party of transparency

Despite their claim to be the party of transparency Libertas have again failed to make public the sources of their funding and details of defence contractor Rivada Networks early funding. Rivada Networks offices, phones and paid employees David Cochrane and Naoise Nunn were all utilised to set up Libertas.

The story in the Irish Independent today is highly topical given the funding scandal that is taking place over Libertas in Poland

Libertas founder to fund Polish party through the back door?

30th March 2009


Irish millionaire businessman Declan Ganley plans to take advantage of a loophole in Polish law that would allow him to fund the Polish branch of euroskeptic political party Libertas.

Polish law bans foreign financial funding in domestic politics, but Ganley appears to have found a way to bypass current legislation. The founder of Libertas and ardent euroskeptic proposes to act as a guarantor if Libertas Poland are unable to repay the bank loans issued to run the party.

The story broke in Saturday's edition of Dziennik and provoked outrage amongst politicians, who described the news as “scandalous.”

Zbigniew Chlebowski, PO's parliamentary club leader, called the news “unsettling” as, “a bank guarantee that gives a party money for elections can be given by a person that is prohibited by law to do so. This means to circumvent the existing rules,” he said.

Mr Chlebowski called for fast and decisive action in dealing with Mr Ganley's proposed funding, and expects advice from specialist lawyers to be available in the coming days.

From Warsaw Business Journal by Robert Szmigielski

Libertas refuses to go public on party funding
By Aine Kerr Political Correspondent

Tuesday March 31 2009

LIBERTAS last night supplied the State's ethics watchdog with a series of financial documents in a bid to provide "detailed answers" about its funding.

But the anti-Lisbon Treaty organisation will not be making public any copies of the bank statements or loan agreements, despite its own calls for greater political transparency.

Two weeks ago, the organisation failed to provide adequate information to the Standards in Public Office (Sipo) commission on where it got the money to fund its expensive campaign for a 'No' vote in the Lisbon Treaty referendum. It has since been accused of "not being willing to operate under the Law" by Fianna Fail.

Libertas last night submitted documents in relation to three key issues queried. Copies of a €200,000 loan agreement between Libertas chief Declan Ganley and the organisation were provided, after Sipo first wrote to it last June seeking details of any loans provided to the organisation for the referendum campaign.

Details of the thousands of books on the Lisbon Treaty supplied by the Foundation for European Democracy and distributed by Mr Ganley were also submitted.

Sipo had raised questions about whether these constituted a donation because the material could be deemed to be influencing the vote's outcome.

However, legal advisers for Libertas are said to have argued that the books do not constitute a donation because the material was neutral and simply relayed the contents of the Lisbon Treaty.

The third aspect of the submission covers the employees of Mr Ganley's Rivada company, who worked for Libertas in their spare time and on a voluntary basis. Sipo again questioned if the use of these employees constituted a donation. Documents provided seek to outline when staff worked for Rivada, then moved to Libertas.

Asked why the organisation had decided against making the documents public, a spokesman said: "Why would we make them public, spend weeks explaining the details and have the Opposition attacking the contents when they won't do the same thing. There's a need for fairness."

- Aine Kerr Political Correspondent
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Earlier Liberats Nein Danke reports here

Libertas Election Financing ? How Libertas circumvent election laws to receive Ganley's money revealed by Polish Libertas VP

Libertas deny that Ganley is funding Polish campaign. Polish daily Dziennik says story is true and confirmed by mulitple Libertas Poland sources

Libertas deny that Ganley is funding Polish campaign. Polish daily Dziennik says story is true and confirmed by mulitple Libertas Poland sources

Lying Libertas Lie Again

This blog broke the story in the English language on Saturday morning at 6.15am. See here

The Irish Times has an interesting follow up in today's paper.

Sadly we are faced with yet another denial by one Libertas spokesperson in the face of other Livberats sources confirming the story.
Ganley's personal spokesperson John McGuirk says

Mr Ganley was not giving such guarantees. “ was asked a hypothetical question and he gave an answer he shouldn’t have,” said Mr McGuirk. “He answered it in a stupid manner, to be honest."

However the story is confirmed by several sources within Libertas Poland including one of its Vice Presidents Artur Zawisza who said "The most important thing for banks is to assess the creditworthiness and the collateral. I know they consulted with Mr. Declan Ganleyem" - when asked about the source of funding election campaigns.

So who is lying Libertas Ireland or Libetas Poland?

Irish Times
Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Libertas denies Ganley is funding Polish campaign

DEREK SCALLY in Berlin and COLM KEENA Public Affairs Correspondent

LIBERTAS HAS denied reports that founder Declan Ganley will in effect personally bankroll the European election campaign of its newly founded Polish branch by guaranteeing bank loans for the party.

The Polish daily Dziennik at the weekend reported assertions from a Libertas Polska party source that the party hoped to raise a loan of €250,000 on the basis of guarantees from Mr Ganley.

Such a loan guarantee, although legal, would effectively circumvent Polish legislation that bans foreign funding of Polish domestic politics, and the suggestion has prompted a heated reaction in the country.

Libertas spokesman John McGuirk insisted yesterday, however, that Mr Ganley was not giving such guarantees. “ was asked a hypothetical question and he gave an answer he shouldn’t have,” said Mr McGuirk. “He answered it in a stupid manner, to be honest.”

Dziennik stood by its story yesterday, citing confirmation of the plan from several sources within the party.

Libertas insists it is financing its campaign to field candidates EU-wide in the June European elections through donations and fundraising.

History has left Poles acutely sensitive to foreign influence on domestic politics and the Libertas report has prompted concern that it could set a dangerous precedent in Polish politics.

“Today it’s Irish money, tomorrow will it be Russian money?” asked Dziennik opinion editor Michal Karnowksi.

“It’s a trick to get the money they cannot accept directly from abroad. It was obvious that Libertas Polska had no money of their own and that Ganley was going to give money, the question until now was just how he was going to do it.”

The Polish election commission, which can examine party financing only in the aftermath of an election, has, however, said campaign loans guaranteed by non-Polish citizens are legitimate. Leading figures in Poland’s ruling Civic Platform (PO) party called it “unsettling” for a party to “get money for elections from a person prohibited by law to do so”.

“This means to circumvent the existing rules,” said Zbigniew Chlebowski, PO parliamentary leader.

Dziennik claims that Libertas Polska will have access to €250,000, as will the Libertas party in Slovakia.

Libertas in Latvia, the newspaper claimed, would have funding of €100,000.

Mr Ganley says Libertas drew down €200,000 during last year’s Lisbon campaign in Ireland from a credit facility he put in place. Today is the deadline for Libertas to submit bank account statements for donations and a document certifying all donations received to the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO).

Dominika Pszczolkowska is a Polish journalist and Brussels correspondent for Gazeta Wyborcza see her blog Declan Ganley to finance anti-Lisbon campaign in Poland

Declan Ganley will finance the anti-Lisbon campaign in Poland. His allies, who have no money, claim he will guarantee their loan and repay if himself after the election.

As "Gazeta Wyborcza" reports, the Libertas crowd in Poland have found a legal loophole to get financing from abroad. Daniel Pawłowiec, one of the Polish Libertas activists told "Gazeta" Mr. Ganley will guarantee a loan they will take. Another anonymous activist told "Dziennik" daily that the loan would be repaid by Mr. Ganley after the election.

Libertas Germany are charging 240 Euro or 1% of students income for membership per annum

Libertas Germany are charging 250 Euro for annual membership and 1% of income from students and unemployed. They have a minimum membership fee for the latter two categories of 24 Euro. They are currently seeking to collect 4000 signatures to allow them, to run in the European elections in Germany. These they are collecting in the street and at train stations. Is 240 Euro not an elitist fee level for membership to an untried political party that has no policies?

Libertas Germany
Google translate version

Mitgliedsbeitrag

Der Mitgliedsbeitrag wird in der Satzung festgelegt und beträgt aktuell 240,- Euro im Jahr. Schüler, Studenten, Arbeitslose und Rentner zahlen nach Selbsteinschätzung einen jährlichen Mitgliedsbeitrag in Höhe von 1% ihres Jahresnettoeinkommens, mindestens jedoch 24 EUR pro Jahr.

How can the Far Right promise us democracy? Libertas and The Big Lie

Libertas employees protest at European Commision.

Libertas cash funding not one but two billboards on trucks on 18 March in Brussels.

How much did this protest cost Libertas? Who is funding Libertas. Ganley says he is using his own cash so where have they got their cash from. Who is behind this? Who is funding their printing bills?

Their flyer today says that the EU passed more laws than any other single country in the last five years.
Duh.....well it is a collection of 27 countries Ganley. These Libertas people are ignorant of democracy and legislation. They use propaganda like Goebbels and are pushing their own Big Lie. It was defined by Adolf Hitler in his 1925 autobiography Mein Kampf as a lie so "colossal" that no one would believe that someone "could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously".

For Libertas the attempt to convince people that in Europe that all their elected politicians are "undemocratic" is one plank of their Big Lie. Another is that they say no institution of government is transparent despite the fact that they are secretive in nature and have no policies at all except negitive lie ridden threthoric. Thye have not revealed how they funded their No campaign in Ireland. they have not divulged who is funding their attcks on our democratic institions.

The people of Europe must resist this threat. Wipe out Libertas candidates in June.
Say NO to the rise of a pan European far right alliance.
Kill this monster at birth.

Declan Ganley and Albania. Transparency or just the same old Elites?

Article from an Albanian perspective on Declan Ganley and his Ganley International , Anglo Adriatic Investment Fund. This article alleges collusion between Ganley's AAIF and the Albanian Government and asserts the funds were used as leverage for Bulgarian business Cable net.
Ganley' s business affairs are fascinating if not transparent.
People Korps

Rinascita Balcanica, 14.04.08

"Albanians gambled on the stock exchange."

by
Alketa Alibali


The shares of 45 thousand share holders of the financial concern Anglo Adriatika where "played with" on international stock exchanges by the directors of the foundation. This is according to official sources of the "Ganley Group" who explain that the company succeeded to gather 45 thousand share holders through the Anglo Adriatika foundation in Albania, amassing a capital of about 120 million US dollars in 1997. A declaration by the organism dealing with privatisations of Albanian public property indicates that the Irish group used the issuing of vouchers to place the amount as the company's own funds on international markets. But in reality, they represented 120 millions transferred by 45 thousand Albanians, described as the shares of the "Ganley Group".


The Irish company "Ganley Group" has collected the 1997 120 million dollars in he market for savings, thereby enrolling 45 thousand Albanian shareholders through the Anglo-Adriatika foundation in Albania. The Irish group acquired such securities, as their own property and then sold them on international markets as values representative of the company.


In 1997 "Anglo-Adriatika" deposited securities at the former Bank for Savings in anticipation of the privatisation of strategic companies in Albania. In the same year, the Ganley Group declared that it held 120 million dollars of "Anglo-Adriatika", and deposited, in collaboration with officials of the Bank for Savings, a certificate that guaranteed the ownership of shares, and granted the right to sell them on. We are talking about an amount of around 160 million dollars, at present dollar values, whereas when it was made when the dollar was quoted at 133 lek. The Albanian financial concern which got the first licence to exercise such activities in April 1996, was the Anglo-Adriatic Investment Fund controlled 90% by Ganley Group and 10% Rothschild Emerging Markets.


The manoeuvres with the bond privatization came to light in September 2007, during a trial conducted against him in Ireland, highlighting the "dark" collaboration between the Albanian Government and heads of the "Anglo-Adriatika." The court discovered in fact a kind of collaboration between the "Meksi" government and the head of "Ganley Group, Declan Ganley, who had acted as mediator to finance a number of Irish Members of Parliament to help the Albanian government to avoid the collapse of the financial pyramid schemes. According to Irish media, the same Declan Ganley declared before the courts that he brought Deputy Liam Lawlor to Albania, and while there was paid a fee of 340 thousand U.S. dollars by the Albanian government.


But the interest of the judges falls, especially on an Mr Frank Dunlop (Irish), who is thought to have favoured an Irish company in return for the aid and assistance offered to the Albanian Government. This version has always been denied by the President of Anglo-Adriatika, which denies any involvement with Mr Lawlor, or with the Albanian deputy, who is thought to have favoured the increase in shares of the company "VAT".


Currently the Ganley Group continues its activities in Galway in Ireland, with offices in all countries of Europe excluding Albania, and operates on a wide variety of activities worldwide, such as transport, telecommunications and by controlling interests in Rivada, Broadnet and Cable Bulgaria. But the history of the Ganley Group begins with the experience of Declan Ganley at the age of 21 years in Russia, entering the industrial business through the stock exchange in the iron, and a number of other companies, sold at a later time to the "Soros" foundation.

After gathering money in Albania in 1997 through the Anglo-Adriatika, Ganley buys shares of telecommunications companies in Bulgaria and creates Bulgarian Broadnet, a cable television service within the countries of Eastern Europe, with a total investment of approximately 300 million dollars, with an operation which suggests that it most likely was financed partly by the shares of Anglo-Adriatika, presented as assets of Ganley Group on international stock exchanges.

In 1998 he takes the first steps to create the Albanian stock market, sponsoring a regional meeting in Struga (Macedonia), with the participation of senior officials from the Albanian and Macedonian governments. In the same year, Don de Marino (Executive Director of the Fund) is the leading organizer of the "Strategic Conference in Albania." At the same time, the Canadian company "Grand Portage Resources", with the intermediation of Anglo-Adriatic Found, acquires the exclusive joint exploitation of Lake Delvina, thanks to an agreement with Albpetrol.

Next begins the escalation of Anglo-Adriatika by the activation of the shareholders vouchers in mass privatisation, based on the privatisation law approved by the Albanian Parliament in 1998 and the beginning of twinning activity between the Albanian stock market with the Western stock markets, in accordance with the plans of the Anglo-Adriatic.

In 1999, Declan Ganley brings to Tirana a group of powerful investors from"Hyatt Hotels", whom he promised the backing of the Albanian government. At the same time Anglo-Adriatika brings to Tirana the American telecommunications company "Milicom" to participate in the tender for the sale of AMC.
In survey conducted by the newspaper "Albania", it appears that the prominent representatives of the foundation were Pirro Kushi and Kosta Trebicka, today known as entrepreneurs. Of the two, however, Trebicka is now known to the general Albanian public for his involvement in the scandal of the acquisition of weapons for the Pentagon. Trebicka and Kushi have for a long time in constant contact with the President of Ganley Group, Declan Ganley, and still maintain a regular relationship with the manager of the Anglo-Adriatic fund, Declan Ganley. "Yes, I often had meetings with Declan Ganley and his brother, we speak often - declares Trebicka in the newspaper 'Albania' - "we also speak of the 'Anglo-Adriatic' fund, and I do not agree with some media which have presented it as a business linked to Greek interests".

On the role of Don de Marino, the Albanian newspaper says that in addition to being a board member of one of Declan Ganley's companies, he is also a very powerful businessman, linked to the Bush family and President of the Saudi-American Chamber of Commerce. As shown by the newspaper, Don de Marino was also Executive Director of Anglo-Adriatika, and in 2000 was in Tirana seeking to reactivated the share vouchers and threatening the Albanian government with an international legal action, but without any great results. Finally, it must be noted that de Don Marino and Declan Ganley asked insistently in 1996 that the Tirana stock market be opened, seen as an important to quote at the international level the securities of "Anglo Adriatic." "Yes, I have excellent relations with him - confirmed Trebicka - I do not understand what's wrong on this. Of course, it is true that he is a very influential person, and it is also true that Don Marino also has many friends at the Pentagon."

A mystery remains about the 120 million dollars belonging toAlbanian citizens, even though in 2006 the Parliamentary Commission for Economy and Finance decided to open an deep inquiry into Anglo-Adriatika, questioning even Governor Fullani. It is not known, therefore, whether the "Anglo-Adriatika" or "Ganley Group" have bought property in other countries through the "unlawful use the stock of financial securities of Anglo-Adriatika." Certainly, Albanian citizens' money from a financial harvest at a time when all financial pyramids were about to collapse, was re-invested in industrial activities, more or less speculative, a foreign financial group, with the full complicity of the Government and Institutions.

Alketa Alibali

Article
NB Libertas.eu did have a "facts" page attempting to refute some of the issues raised here but they have taken the page down. Some cedit for this may be claimed by People Korps who used Libertas employee David Cochrane's Politics.ie board to show the lack of credibility.