The possible relocation of production of luxury Audi models from the Volkswagen plant in Bratislava to the United States poses a serious and immediate problem for Slovakia, warned MP Julius Jakab ('Slovakia').
The 'Slovakia' party is calling on the government to disclose whether it's held talks with the Volkswagen management, what conditions it's offered the carmaker and how it intends to secure the arrival of new models in Slovakia. The Economy Ministry has said that it's in touch with company representatives and is awaiting more detailed information about its plans.
Audi plans to build a plant in the United States employing 4,500 people, where premium SUVs tailored to the needs of North American customers will be manufactured. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with production expected to start only after 2030. The final decision on building the factory in the USA is subject to approval by Volkswagen's supervisory board.
The Economy Ministry said that it's been holding long-term discussions with the group's management on broader plans and the future of production in Slovakia, including opportunities to expand production capacity, attract new investment and preserve jobs.
"Our goal is for Slovakia to remain a strategic location for Volkswagen Group production," added the ministry.
Volkswagen Slovakia spokesperson Lucia Kovarovic Makayova has informed that decisions on assigning models to individual plants are made at group level.
Source: TASR
