Parmalat Romania officials on Wednesday said the company would not pull the plug on its local operations, despite the financial scandal that has been plaguing the mother-company for two months.
However, the company will temporarily close down its Baia Mare-based bottling line for the 0.25 l natural juices, since demand for these products is not taking off, according to Giampaolo Manzonetto, the managing director of Parmalat Romania.
The company sells the Santal brand of natural juice in Romania, but also the Parmalat milk, Santal yogurts, Pomi tomato paste and the Grisbi biscuits.
The financial scandal at Parmalat Italy started late last year, when four billion euros were found missing from the company's accounts.
According to company officials, no bid has been made to buy Parmalat Romania. "We have received no purchase bids from any companies. Parmalat Romania is not for sale. If it were, I would have bought it myself," said Salvatore Lucisano, who was appointed sole administrator of Parmalat Romania at the end of last year, when Parmalat Italy entered receivership.
According to press stories, European Drinks and United Romania Breweries (or Tuborg Romania), the company holding the franchise for Tuborg and Carlsberg beer in Romania, are allegedly interested in taking over Parmalat Romania.
"This is absolutely not true. I don't know where this kind of information could have come from," says Isaac Sheps, president of United Romanian Breweries.
However, market sources say that American giant AIG, through the regional investment fund AIG New Europe Fund, is wiling to take over Parmalat's operations in Central and Eastern Europe, Romania included.
AIG New Europe Fund is among the largest investment funds in CEE, with more than 320 million dollars in capitalisation.
Valeriu Ionescu, AIG New Europe Fund's official in Romania would not comment on the fund's alleged interest in Parmalat Romania.
According to Lucisano, Parmalat Italy cannot go bankrupt, but may sell part of its stock.
"Parmalat's insolvency status has allowed the company to freeze all debts to its suppliers and banks. Bankruptcy has not been announced by any authorised person," Lucisano says.
stelian.negrea@zf.ro ; laurentiu.ispir@zf.ro
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