Atanaskovic: We Didn’t Know About the Plans of Stellantis for Fiat Workers

The minister of economy of Serbia, Andjelka Atanaskovic, has stated that Serbia, which has obliged by contract to subsidize the production of electric cars in Kragujevac, did not know about the plans of Stellantis for workers and that it will try to find the best possible solution for the people who do not want to accept either of the offered options.

– It was up to the company’s management to decide what to do with the workers while they are changing the machines and adapting the halls for the beginning of the production of electric cars. We didn’t know what they intended – Atanaskovic said for the Politika daily.

She said that the contract said nothing about what Stellantis offered to the workers, but only that a new model would start being produced in mid-2024.

The company has offered to the workers of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Serbia to move to one of the four factories – in Italy, Germany, Poland and Slovakia – or to voluntarily leave the company with a severance package, during that period.

When asked whether there was a possibility of the workers’ staying in Serbia on a paid leave, receiving 65% of the salaries, without working while waiting for the production of the new model to start, Atanaskovic said no.

– They could earn three times more (than in Serbia). Now it’s all about whether our people are willing to go. Maybe when they think about it, they will accept the offer. However, being paid while sitting and not doing anything, that doesn’t exist anywhere, for sure. Our mentality needs to change a bit. We are used to living in another world – Atanaskovic said.

Ministarstvo privrede Republike Srbije

FCA Srbija Kragujevac

Ministry of Economy

FCA

Fiat Kragujevac

Stellantis

Anđelka Atanasković

workers

job abroad

new model

electric cars

agreement