Viorel Banaga went to Italy in the early 1990s as one of the first Moldovans. There, he studied and worked in a wide range of fields, gaining experience for the future. After spending two decades abroad, he decided to return home and start his own business.
“I was among the first Moldovans to arrive in Italy, and for me it already felt like a point of no return. I felt so good there that I used to say I would never come back. And every time I came to Moldova, I would think: ‘Okay, I was born here, but it’s so good that I don’t live here,’” Viorel said.
Viorel initially returned as a coffee importer. Together with a friend, he opened two cafes with an authentic Italian atmosphere — music, food, drinks, and details reminiscent of the peninsula. The first cafe opened in an industrial area of Chisinau, where he proved the project could succeed despite skepticism from others.
Today, Viorel Banaga continues his entrepreneurial journey in the heart of the capital with “Caffe dele Collone,” a business that brings the atmosphere of Italy to Chisinau. Unlike in the 1990s, when he chose emigration, he now says he no longer considers leaving the Republic of Moldova.