While the Romanian authorities are struggling to conclude the privatisation, the domestic companies are ready to aid in this process, yet in that conducted by other countries.
The consortium comprising Sinterom Cluj-Napoca and UZUC Ploiesti is planning to buy the controlling interests in Vulkan, the largest rubber maker in Serbia by the end of the year, and is willing to pay 3.1 million euros for it. "We chose Vulkan because it makes our business complete. We are interested in four more Serbian factories, too," stated Stefan Vuza, the chairman of the Serviciile Comerciale Rom=ne (Romanian Commercial Services - SCR) Group, which includes Sinterom and UZUC. The Romanian consortium submitted the bid for buying Vulkan to the Privatisation Agency of the Serbia-Montenegro Republic after six months during which it had put together the investment project. The tender committee headed by the Serbian Transports and Telecommunications Minister Marija Raseta-Vukosavljevic is to analyse the offer within 30 days and get back with an answer. Besides the incentives in the job specifications book, which stipulate the investors are not bound to pay the factory's debts, the Romanian consortium has stated a few more terms for buying. "We asked them to lay off 450 people out of the 1,000 the factory is now employing. The severance pays will of course fall upon the Serbian Government. They agreed to 310 for the time being but negotiations are not over yet. The factory will be privatised anyway. The Serbs have 4,000 plants to privatise and are working against the EU accession deadline, as well," Stefan Vuza explained. "Investing in Serbia is no easy thing. You've got to have the money. They have not worked out every detail of the legislation, but are fair. They have the will to do something. Like we did back in '92-'93, " he added. Vulkan, a company in which the Serbian State holds 98.4 percent, concluded 2002 with 678,000 euros in losses. This would be about the fourth foreign trade office opened by the SCR Group this year after those in Tehran (Iran), Beijing (China) and Jakarta (Indonesia). After Nis (Serbia), the group will focus on Moscow. SCR was established ten years ago and currently comprises 11 Romanian companies dealing in production and foreign trade. Sinterom, a spark plug maker, joined the group in 2000, when Contactoare Buzau acquired control of it from the Privatisation Authority (APAPS). This is also how UZUC, which makes and sells machinery and technological lines, joined the group, as Cluj-based A1 Impex bought the controlling interests (73.4 percent) in it from APAPS for 1.6 million euros. Both Contactoare Buzau and A1 Impex Cluj-Napoca are part of SCR.
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