Small companies require venture funds

Only 1-2 percent of the 550,000 small companies in Romania took out loans to finance their activity, and the banking system is not prepared to assume the risk of such businesses.

The President of the National Credit Guarantee Fund for Small and Medium-Sized Companies (FNGCIMM), Aurel Saramet, said that these companies have to find other financing sources, like capital venture companies or companies willing to offer high risk loans, not highly developed in Romania. Saramet added that the market needs at least 50 such companies. Furthermore, managers do not understand very well the criteria imposed by banks.

FNGCIMM was established in 2001 as a state institution, to guarantee financial instruments contracted by small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) from banks or other sources.