"We hope lending will be resumed in European level, and we demand that the import of second-hand cars be halted, as it can cause a drop in the number of jobs or even the shutdown of local carmakers,” Fourmont said.
"Due to brutal decreases in auto markets, even though it is a success in export, where the market share is widening, as well as in Romania, Dacia is forced to halt production between November 20 and December 7, 2008," Dacia said in a press release Monday.
The widening of the financial and economic crisis in October brought a significant decrease in auto markets, including the Romanian one, Dacia said.
Between November 20 and December 7, the CKD center will continue to function (namely spare parts for exports and assembly in other plants), Dacia mentioned.
The auto market dropped in October 2008 by some 30% in Romania, compared to October 2007. The auto markets also dropped in Spain by 40%, Great Britain by 23%, Sweden by 22.7%, Italy by 18.9%, Germany by 8%, France by 6.2%. This trend will probably continue in the upcoming months," said a press release issued by the car maker.
Dacia mentioned that, since the world market dropped by 9% in October 2008 compared to the similar period of 2007, Dacia exports decreased by 20.2%.
However, the increase in market shares held by Dacia cannot compensate the massive decrease registered by the auto markets in Europe, Dacia said.
Another reason stated by Dacia is the “invasion” of used cars imported when the new car tax legislation was applied, on July 1, 2008.
The employees sent home because of the cease in activity would receive 85% of their gross salaries, in accordance with the collective labor contract. At the same time, they will receive lunch tickets for the number of days during which activity is halted. The tickets were offered in advance.
In the first nine months of the year, Dacia sold 194,165 cars, registering a 17% increase in sales compared with the same period of the previous year.