As the Italian football club of Bologna prepares to celebrate its centenary, ownership shifts to Albanian entrepreneur
Meanwhile a new Italian president takes up the Albanian football club of La獊
By Artan P쳮aska
apernaska@tiranatimes.com
On Monday, the 27th of July 2009, the Albanian businessman Rezart Ta詠landed at Bologna in Italy as principal owner of the local football club, only a few days after a deal sealed with the enterprise that controls the club. The transactions concluded on the 23th of July between the Albanian businessman and former the president of the club Renzo Menarini transferred 80 % of the shares to Rezart Ta詮 The Albanian young engineer, 38 years of age, will be the new president of the team wearing the red and blue stripes shirt and playing in the major league of the Italian championship, the Series A.
Albanian daily Sot (24.07.2009) reveals that Rezart Ta詠will be the principal owner of the Italian club on Bologna’s hundredth anniversary, though the Italian Il Corriere di Bologna suggests he may not participate in the ceremony. The Bologna Football Club was founded on the 3rd of October 1909.
This is the first time an Albanian entrepreneur involves himself in such a prestigious investment and gets such prestigious international media coverage. Italian media report a “Ta詠mania” among supporters of the Bologna football team (Gazetta dello Sport, 24.07.2009). They believe that he will get the team out of the financial difficulties it was facing and will help get the club at the front positions of the Italian Seria A.
Money Talks
How much did the Albanian entrepreneur disburse to convince the Italian owners?
On the 24th of July, the Albanian newspapers Ballkan, RD, Gazeta Shqiptare and Korrieri reported the transactions nearly 20 million Euros. On the 23rd of August, Il Corriere di Bologna believed the transactions would near 22 million Euros.
Tirana Times (current issue) as well as Gazeta Shqiptare (29.07.2009) believe the transactions to have reached 43 million Euros.
Aktiva Spa, the enterprise that holds the football club of Bologna was fully controlled by the Italian family Menarini, which will still continue to hold 20 % of the shares. On Monday, the 27th of August, Rezart Ta詠had access to the financial books of the society in order to inform himself on the financial situation of the club. The financial situation of the club before the transactions was reported in a bad shape and the Italian press did not expect any surprises at the reading of the financial records.
According to the Italian media, the accords transferring 80 % of the shares to Ta詠Oil will be valid starting from the 3rd of August.
Rezart Ta詠is also president of KS Gramozi, the football club of Ersek묠Kolonj묠on the south of the country. KS Gramozi climbed this year in the Superior Category of Albanian football and wears also red and blue striped shirts, like the football club of Bologna. KS Gramozi is reported to be the football club of the birthplace of the Albanian entrepreneur.
Sportive challenge and economic move
“Il mio gruppo lavora in campo energetico. Vorremmo crearci un mercato anche in Italia e il calcio e forse lo strumento migliore per farsi conoscere” quotes the Italian Gazetta dello Sport the Albanian entrepreneur on its issue of the 25th of July 2009. My group [Ta詠Oil] works in the energetic field. We would like to create a market even in Italy and football is perhaps the best instrument to make us known in this country, says Rezart Ta詮
He wants the club become front player in the Italian Seria A and believes sportive results be highly intertwined with economic interests. “Bologna should navigate on the higher waters of the classification. Taking into account the economic and administrative logics, I want a competitive club capable of playing spectacular games. Both aspects are connected: the results levy up the turnover” quotes the Italian press.
Though Bologna is not today at its highest financial and sportive point, if Rezart Ta詠manages to bring her on the heading positions of the Italian Seria A, the club could become a powerful and rentable enterprise. Seria A will begin to play on the 22nd of August (Standard, 30.07.2009). Bologna is looking to reorganize and complete its team. On the 29th of July, Gazeta Shqiptare titled “Ta詠is making his shopping at Real Madrid”.
Ta詠Oil
Ta詠Oil is an Albanian private enterprise which bought the shares of the former national petroleum company ARMO through an investment of 128 million Euros. Ta詠Oil is reported to possess more than 100 fuel points throughout Albania. Rezart Ta詠has completed his studies in Italy, where he graduated as an engineer and where he has lots of powerful connections. The Albanian and the Italian press highlights his numerous connections in the Italian football and business world, especially with directors of the Milan football club and even with the Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi.
The football club of Milan is said to be the sportive and economic model the Albanian entrepreneur looks after.
While Ta詠Oil bought shares of the Bologna football club, the company is said not to be on the best of its economic situation in Albania. The latest news reported by the press concern the court decision on the monopoly of ARMO, of which Ta詠Oil is successor (See Tirana Times, economic news, current issue).
Italian president takes up Albanian club
While the Albanian press waves inspired titles like “The Albanian epoch begins for Bologna”, an “Italian epoch” seems to begin for the Albanian club of La箠 Pietro Belardeli, a 65 years old Italian businessman, is since nearly four weeks president of the football team of La笠champion of the First Category and one of the 12 teams playing the next season in the Superior Category, the Albanian Seria A, reported Korrieri on the 28th of July.
Belardeli, ex-president of the Lugano football club in Switzerland and of some minor football clubs in Italy, has chosen the Albanian football club of La笠to pursue his sport and business activity.
Panorama Sport (27.07.2009), Korrieri (28.07.2009) remind the tumultuous past of the Italian entrepreneur who has been cleared of accusations of money laundering and connections to criminal groups.
