Yesterday, September 22, in Berlin, ASTRA submitted a report to Volkswagen’s whistleblower system for violating the human rights of workers at the Linglong factory in Zrenjanin. In 2018, Volkswagen signed an agreement to purchase tires that should start being produced at the factory’s Zrenjanin plant. For months, we have been witnessing media and NGO reports that indicate serious violations of human and labor rights of Vietnam workers engaged in the Linglong factory construction. International bodies – the European Parliament and the United Nations – also reacted and demanded an explanation from Serbia. As we know, Serbian institutions remain silent.
With this move, ASTRA draws the attention of the management of Volkswagen that the actions of their supplier, the Linglong factory from Zrenjanin, are problematic in many ways, as well as that the product (automobile tires) is compromised due to human rights violations and human trafficking for the purpose of labor exploitation. Volkswagen has clear and strict policies regarding corporate responsibility, and we expect their reaction.