Iulian SAFIR, Investment Director at the Safir Group of Companies, Vaslui, at FERM 2025: “We need predictability, not just promises and bureaucracy”
100 economic opportunities for the development of the Moldova Region on the A7 Highway route
REGIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM MOLDOVA 2025
19th Edition – Vatra Dornei, July 9–13, 2025
Thematic Panel:
European and Government Funds: Opportunities, Challenges and Cross-Border Cooperation
Speaker:
Iulian Safir – Investment Director at the Safir Group of Companies, Vaslui
Presentation topic:
“Accessing European Funds and Business Experience with Pure Romanian Capital”
The Regional Economic Forum Moldova 2025, hosted in Vatra Dornei, once again offered the business environment a platform to speak directly with central authorities and funding institutions. During the Panel 2 – European and Government Funds: Opportunities, Challenges and Cross-Border Cooperation, Iulian Safir, Investment Director at Safir Group, delivered a candid and practical talk based on the concrete experience of a Romanian-owned business with 100% domestic capital.
From 10,000 to 12 Million Chickens: A Growth Story Partially Backed by European Funds
Iulian Safir briefly outlined the impressive journey of the Safir company, founded in 1991 in Vaslui. From the first batch of 10,000 chickens in 1993, the group reached 12 million slaughtered chickens in 2024 in its own slaughterhouse, with 850 employees and a turnover of €85 million.
“Obviously, these numbers were also supported by non-reimbursable funds – whether European or governmental. We accessed our first project in 2003 through the SAPARD program. We obtained €300,000 and doubled our slaughtering capacity,” Safir explained.
Subsequent investments followed – in 2006, 2008, and 2010 – all funded with grants, enabling the modernization of farms and the construction of the first commercial protein meal factory in Romania. But after 2010, “a long pause followed.”
Bureaucracy That Discourages
“In 2013, we wanted to build a compound feed factory. We did it with our own funds. Why? Because it took a full year from contract signing to investment start. It was too much,” Safir admitted.
Between 2010 and 2019, the company no longer accessed European funds. A 2017 attempt to expand factory capacity failed due to bureaucracy and sudden strategy changes.
“We gave up. We lost confidence.”
Still, in 2019, Safir returned to the funding ecosystem, accessing two POCU projects, and in 2022 began a new cycle of green investments.
“We submitted projects for photovoltaic panels. We managed to install 1.5 MW for self-consumption. We don’t inject anything into the grid – we use it all internally.”
Investments Delayed by Bureaucracy
Even these sustainability-driven projects were not without challenges.
“It took a year and a half from approval until we were invited to sign. The obvious question was: should we still apply for funding or just invest on our own?”
Nevertheless, the group persisted. In the past two years, they submitted another 7 projects for photovoltaic panels, totaling 3 MW of installed capacity. Two are eligible and were due for implementation in 2024 but have been postponed to 2025. The rest – still pending.
Predictability – the Keyword for the Private Sector
“What do we want from the authorities, whether we’re talking about funds or government? Predictability. That’s it,” stressed Iulian Safir.
He gave a telling example: the elimination of tax exemptions for the agri-food sector at the end of 2023.
“After a year and a half of implementation, on December 28, via the so-called ‘train ordinance,’ the tax benefits were cut. We had to raise product prices by 15% to cover a €2.5 million loss.”
Hard Lessons: “Work with Two Consulting Firms!”
In a sincere tone, Safir shared key lessons learned.
“Don’t go it alone. Don’t try to submit projects without consultants. European funds are so complicated that you risk wasting years.”
He recounted the failed attempt to access a DR22 project worth €4.8 million due to relying on a single consulting firm.
“We missed the project by just three points below the cutoff. If we’d had a second opinion, maybe it wouldn’t have happened.”
SMEs Benefit More. Large Companies Left Behind
Iulian Safir also raised concerns about the lack of targeted tools for large Romanian companies.
“We are no longer SMEs. Most funds target small enterprises. For companies like ours, with integrated production chains, there are not enough opportunities.”
His appeal was clear.
“We want dedicated funds for vertical integration, so we can close the production loop and become more efficient.”
Conclusion: The Entrepreneurial Voice Must Be Heard
Through his intervention at FERM 2025, Iulian Safir offered a clear-eyed and honest perspective on accessing European funds in Romania. Far from grand promises, his experience shows how much investment success depends not just on money, but on clear rules, respected timelines, and real dialogue with the state.
“Success!” he concluded – a simple word, yet in the current context, more of a challenge than a certainty.
