«Yes to local institutes». «No, no more money from friends»

JESI Governor Francesco Acquaroli doesn’t let go. Indeed, he makes matters worse and keeps the point. The local bank serves to recreate a climate of trust in the production system, he also reiterated yesterday in Jesi at the conference for the 80th anniversary of Confindustria Ancona. But he didn’t use the same high notes he sounded at the end of February, when during a conference on credit in the Region, he said “we are orphans of Banca Marche, we feel the difference compared to when there was a strong local bank”. He smooths out the edges, but doesn’t back down: «In the days following my speech I received a lot of feedback from the local area regarding the need for liquidity on the part of our businesses».

The governor’s thesis

He reels off the corollaries to the theorem: «Healthy companies that want to grow must have quick responses. Some credit institution called me saying they were available and wanted to collaborate with the area: in short, my appeal was accepted. Some local entrepreneurs tell us about a certain rigidity in the banking system’s approach to our companies. Rigidity that generates distrust and distance. This is the sentiment we have gathered.” The number one at Palazzo Raffaello proceeds with the amarcords, rewinding the tape to return to the times of Banca Marche and the local credit institutions: «We were too well accustomed to having proximity responses. Now the rules and times have changed, but if there is a willingness to get around a table and share a journey, many difficulties are resolved.” A new appeal to the banking world to establish a dialogue that goes beyond dimensions. But Pierluigi Bocchini, president of Confindustria Ancona, who freezes Acquaroli, strikes the counterpoint of modern times: «What do we entrepreneurs look for from banks: relationships or answers? Answers. We look for relationships in friends, not in banks”, he tranchant. And again: «We need a dimension that allows our production system not to get up in the morning with a bank insolvent because the capital was no longer there. And we need speed in responses, not a phone call from the bank manager for a credit line. If we don’t deserve the credit, it’s right that it shouldn’t be given to us. Because credit to those who don’t deserve it is what led to the resolution of the banks.”

The past and the future

The good old days are gone, they no longer exist. And, according to Bocchini, perhaps this is right. «As entrepreneurs we must be obsessed with growth and if we want to become companies capable of competing on world markets, we must choose large and important partners who will accompany us». An outstretched hand which for the little ones also comes from the Region. «With European programming we have allocated 90 million euros for access to credit – Acquaroli recalled in his speech – and the first 20 million measure launched in recent weeks was pulverized in a few days. This data makes us understand well what the real needs of businesses are. Money is key. The issue of the competitiveness of the system also involves the possibility of having the resources available to be able to renew, be competitive and plan a future at all levels”.

Acquaroli gets to the point: «It is our duty to be close to businesses and try to find the best possible strategies. We need a dialogue between banking institutions and SMEs because there is a sense of distance.” The sentiment above. The president of the Marche Chamber of Commerce Gino Sabatini supports him, recalling the contraction of credit to businesses in recent years: «And the trend continued also in the first months of 2024, with -2.6% in March and – 2.5% in February.” We need liquidity, and everyone agrees on this. How to inject it into Marche businesses, however, is in no particular order.

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