Sweden To Muller: Hand Over The Money Or Go To Jail
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.”
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Just slap him in a cell and sell the whole show for scrap
The Muppets Habanera is sublime. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXKUb5A1auM
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.
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.