Not just the big ones companies listed on the stock exchange (such as Eni, Finmeccanica, Ansaldo Sts and Impregilo) but also a few dozen small and medium enterprises have regular relationships with the North African country and are watching the development of the Libyan case with apprehension. Economic Development Minister Paolo Romani said the government is considering "an amendment, I don't know if it's a maneuver, for the hundreds of companies that have suffered damage" due to the conflict.
According to the Italian-Libyan Chamber of Commerce, around 600 Italian companies maintain regular relations with Libya. But a Reuters investigation shows that only 50 of these have complained of problems in recent months. Among these we find: Architects, Bio Agri Trade, Brunengo, Edilbono, Gem Elettronica, Gemmo, Luilor, Metalprint, Nico, Tai Milano, Technarredi, Sicon Oil & Gas, Sarplast, Siad.
The total orders of these and other small and medium-sized enterprises amount to 120 million euros. What matters most to these companies is the recovery of credits: the complaints concern around 20 million unrecovered credits and a collection request for around another 42 million. Their already precarious situation is made worse by requests from some Italian banks that are wary of accepting payments from Libya or are asking for the repayment of loans disbursed for investments in the country. Furthermore, the impossibility of accessing layoffs for workers who have returned from Libya during these months of war weighs on the accounts of these small and medium-sized companies.
These are therefore the problems that the Government will have to try to resolve in the next few days.
Source: Reuters
