* Interview with Ioan Niculae, the owner of InterAgro
The situation of the economy is completely the opposite of the one presented by the statements of the authorities, says Ioan Niculae, the owner of InterAgro and president of the Forum of Domestic Investors. He told us, in an interview, that since the beginning of the year, over 17,000 companies have filed for insolvency.
"Of the tens of thousands of investors that I have talked to lately, there wasn't even one of them to say that his businesses are working or that at the very least they are stable", said Ioan Niculae.
Reporter: Please tell us, as president of the Forum of Domestic Investors, about the reality which the business sector is faced with at the moment?
Ioan Niculae: We are going through a difficult economic situation which is completely at odds with what the authorities are saying, that they are seeing growth. I don't know where they are seeing that growth, when over 17,000 companies have filed for insolvency since the beginning of the year. It is a huge number, and every month a few other thousand companies file for insolvency or enter reorganization. Of the tens of investors that I have talked to lately, there wasn't even one of them to say that his businesses are working or that they are stable, at the very least.
Reporter: What is the biggest hurdle that investors are faced with in their operation?
Ioan Niculae: They are all complaining about lack of capital, about the lack of cashflow, about the lack of liquidity in the market and the lack of interest for buying industrial products. With one exception, all of the banks have stopped lending.
Reporter: Under these circumstances, what other methods of financing do the investors resort to?
Ioan Niculae: Unfortunately, the crisis is manifesting itself at the level of the entire system, and whereas
