As if Victor Muller doesn’t have enough problems. He has managed to upset Sweden’s state collection agency Kronofogden so much that they are threatening arrest. Muller claimed there is enough money to pay the employees, but if he does that, the state collection agency will get its hands on the money. The collection agency says that Muller has to hand over the cash or go to jail. This quote by Victor Muller sent Hans Ryberg, head of the enforcement agency in Uddevalla to the ceiling:
“There is sufficient cash to pay the salaries, but unfortunately we cannot use that cash by law at this time, because we would favor one group of creditors, and not one other, the suppliers. We would pay the employees and not the suppliers. And that is something we cannot do.”
Ryberg is livid, says Sverigesradio. He had been told there is no money, and suddenly, there is. Ryberg now says that Muller is in violation of his disclosure requirements. He also says that now it is not Muller to decide who shall have the money and who don’t: “Once Kronofogden is involved, then it’s us who must have the money.”
Today, Kronofogden will come knocking at Saab and will ask how much money is where, and why it has not been handed over to Kronofogden. “If Victor Muller does not abide by the rules, he risks arrest,” says Sverigesradio.
Sweden’s state sheriff agrees: “Sure, this applies to all debtors that are in the same situation and that do not disclose all assets in the company.”
I think this is more like the “Chickens Coming Home To Roost.”
Hastily blasted out from a press release agency: Apparently the money is squirrelled away somewhere outside of Saab’s bank account. Oh alright, that makes it ok then!
Zeewolde, The Netherlands, 9 September 2011 – In the past few days Saab Automobile AB’s CEO and Chairman Victor Muller has made statements that the company is in a position to make salary payments to its employees but would not be able to do so because of legal restrictions.
These statements have unfortunately led to the interpretation that the funds would be available within Saab Automobile AB. However, Victor Muller reiterates that the funds to which he referred to are not and have never been within Saab Automobile.
Victor Muller stresses the fact that Saab Automobile in every aspect is in full compliance with Swedish legislation as to the disclosure process in respect of the Swedish enforcement agency ‘Kronofogdemyndigheten’ and has been and will be totally transparent in this respect. Victor Muller regrets that his statements have been misinterpreted.
http://www.4-traders.com/SAAB-AB-6491624/news/SAAB-AB-Further-clarifications-made-by-Victor-Muller-in-respect-of-salary-payments-13791083/
How much more bad news we’re going to hear before this epic saga comes to an end? Poor guy must’ve think the Universe itself is out to get him (and his car company).
I ♥ socialist economic snafus.
Hardly socialistic, not wanting to support Saab the way ‘capitalist’ America has done for Saab’s former mother, General Motors. The irony.
Amerika is a freeloading, err, closet socialist state.
In America it is socialism for the rich, free-markets for everyone else.
Just slap him in a cell and sell the whole show for scrap
The Muppets Habanera is sublime.
The superb Muppetry here has distracted me from the Saab Story.
BREAKING NEWS? Was the Swedish fat lady just clearing her throat? Or is this just another trick up CEO Muller’s sleeve, and a desperate attempt to lure the Swedish High Court? In any case, the Dutch car magazine Autoweek, naming Swedish Dagens Industri as source, just (03:47 AM EST) reported that Chinese Geely, owner of that other Swedish brand Volvo, has serious interest in Saab. Which reportedly makes approval by the Chinese authorities much more likely.
You have to read the article a little bit better ;) Geely/Volvo don’t want to buy Saab.
http://di.se/Artiklar/2011/9/10/244793/Geely-tar-sikte-pa-Saab
If/When Saab goes bankrupt they want to buy certain parts of Saab. Or in other words: Volvo/Geely is ready to clean pick the rotting carcass.
Volvo does not need an extra brand or any of the models Saab has on offer. They do need a lot of extra R&D people and they might also want to buy the Parts business (highly profitable).
You are right. I could not get proper confirmation at the time that Dutch Autoweek published the article. No biggie.
That would in fact be good news – Volvo owning SAAB’s parts business!
So, does that mean I can go out on Monday and get a brand-new SAAB while there are still a few of them on the market?
Well, we SAAB-afficionados have learnt to be patient, I can tell you.
So, as long as bankruptcy has not been officially declared, we won’t give up.
And even if SAAB as a company will be closed, that doesn’t mean all SAABs will fall apart on the spot, does it?
It’ll take some time – I can still see SAABs from the 80ies drive around alive and kicking.
In the meantime, while the referee is still counting the numbers, we keep our fingers crossed.
Since when do SAAB fans buy “brand-new” SAABs?
+1 :D
Professors usually can’t afford 50K cars that in reality competes with Buick.