Cafo Boga, now a former member of the Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF) has criticized the non-profit, claiming it develops projects almost exclusively with the Albanian government thus contributing to the perception of American favoritism towards the latter.
Boga has penned an extensive article, explaining why, after over 25 years of involvement, he was finally dismissed. He levied significant criticism against the chairman of the board, US ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim, and what he perceives as unnecessary closeness to the Albanian government.
The AADF is Albania’s most capitalised non-profit. Its mission, like that of its predecessor the AAEF, is to facilitate the development of a sustainable private sector and a democratic society.
“Moreover, the Foundation strives to implement solutions on best business practices directly and transparently, collaborating with other organizations and forming strategic partnerships to maximize resources and impact on the Albanian economy and society. Lastly, the Foundation evaluates its efforts and continues to improve and expand upon areas of engagement,” Boga writes.
In his letter, Boga explains that the AADF has been integral in lobbying for US assistance for Albania over the years, including the Support for East European Democracy (SEED) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), totaling millions of dollars over the years.
He also detailed investments totalling over $109 million including Tirana International Airport, Aleat Biometric Passports and ID cards, TEG shopping center, renovation of the Old Bazaar in Kruja, Korca, and Gjirokaster, as well as various sites in Berat.
He also mentioned the “controversial” project at Butrint which will see the historical UNESCO site being handed over to the AADF for ten years. Boga notes that “Frankly, the board was not presented with all the facts and documents concerning this project, otherwise, we may have dwelled on it more deeply and perhaps acted differently. Lack of transparency and misconception played a role in it.”
This echoes the fears of civil society, the public, and the opposition who have raised concerns over what this means for the site.
In terms of his dismissal, Boga put the blame on the AADF chairman, Michael Granoff and some other board members. He accused Granoff of acting in a dictatorial way, minimising his contributions and behaving like he is better than other stakeholders.
“From the time he became chairperson, I have seen Michael increasingly hold himself in a higher regard than the other members—requiring special treatment, such as presidential suites at hotels and private cars, and throwing around his perceived power in Washington—in order to appear as an omnipotent VIP and “power player,” the letter states.
He continues that Albanians often fall for this kind of act, especially if the person is American. Boga also states that political figures in Tirana used Granoff to advance their political standing.
“Some board members were not pleased with his close ties to certain political leaders—but Michael effectively exercised his role as chairperson, so no one challenged him,” he adds, noting that Granoff became more authoritarian and acted like the AADF was his own personal organisation.
Boga raised several issues including letters of complaint from individuals in Albania and the US over the way the AADF conducted business. These complaints never made it to the board and were “treated as irrelevant nuisances”.
He continues that Albania still is not a democratic country and its leadership presents challenges. Furthermore, he notes that most of AADFs projects directly or indirectly benefit the government and its ministries, making it look like they support the party in power.
Boga suggested to Granoff that the AADF should reexamine its strategy.
“I believe we should reexamine our strategy whether this is the best way forward or should we come up with a new strategy, mindful of course that the Foundation activities will always require the cooperation of government in one way or another,” Boga writes, adding that he asked Granoff to be mindful of the way he presents himself and is perceived.
He received no response and instead another board member told him that he “had become too controversial” and Granoff and the rest of the board wanted him to resign. If he did not, he would be voted out. After refusing, the AADFs lawyer emailed him to say he had been removed from his position.
In terms of the US ambassador, he states she “has done the country tremendous damage with an approach that has resulted in a political impasse. While I commend her efforts to fight corruption and to bring about the rule of law by strengthening the legal system, the way she went about it was misguided and unacceptable.”
“Ambassadors should not get involved in managing the internal affairs or political parties of the countries in which they are guests,” he said, noting that Kim has created many animosities and incited “a split within the country’s main opposition party and seriously impairing its ability to bring about the desired change in government.”
