According to Diana Ghinea (MP), the city of Gothenburg owns 16 Volvo cars today. There are currently no plans for more purchases, but the municipality takes the matter very seriously.
– We have a board meeting on Wednesday and then we will discuss this, she says.
What do you think about Geely being blacklisted in Ukraine?
– It is of course not something we are happy about. The attitude is that the city of Gothenburg does not want to support Russia’s war in any way.
The region is also investigating the boycott
The Västra Götaland region is also investigating a boycott of Volvo Cars.
– We do not want some of the Västra Götaland region’s residents’ tax money to become tax money in Russia and finance the war, says Håkan Andersson (S), chairman of the board for property, support and service in the region, to Ekot.
According to Sweden’s radio, the Swedish Armed Forces are also looking into whether a boycott may be relevant, but state that “the issue is national and affects the majority of authorities and organisations”.
Volvo Cars declines interview
During Monday, SVT Nyheter Väst tried to get an interview with Volvo Cars, which declined. Instead, the car manufacturer has sent a written statement.
“Volvo Cars does not comment on the decisions and actions of other companies, including our shareholders. For questions regarding Geely Holding, we refer to Geely,” writes Ian Tonkin in the company’s press department in a statement, and emphasizes that Volvo Cars has ceased all its operations in Russia since the war against Ukraine began.
Nor does Stefan Lundin, Geely’s communications manager in Sweden, want to appear for an interview in front of the camera on Monday.
– Ukraine’s list stands for Ukraine, it is nothing that has any impact on Swedish or European legislation, he says to SVT.