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OREANDA-NEWS. Kaliningrad plant "Avtotor" plans to freeze about 50% of its production capacity due to the departure of American automaker General Motors.

According to the company spokesman, who informed the agency "Interfax", "Avtotor" implemented the orders for the production of cars for General Motors, which was for the first quarter of 2015. "For the second quarter, we don’t have the order, so we will have to freeze about half of the production capacity," - said the representative of "Avtotor." According to him, it will lead to the fact that the company will be forced to cut about 500 people. A notification has already been sent to the employment service.

Deputy Director of Public Relations of Kaliningrad "Avtotor" Sergei Lugovoi said that staff reductions in the amount of 450 people must pass before June 1st. "White Paper on the upcoming reduction was sent to the regional employment service. Today, people have started to receive notices”, - he added.

Meanwhile, there is reduction in the number of produced cars of other brands, with which operates the plant. "However, at the general meeting, which took place some time ago, it was announced that in case of increase in orders at the production of cars they will be asked to return to production", - said Mr.Lugovoy. He also said that currently the company employs 2.5 thousand people.

But Gorky Automobile Plant continues to assemble cars Chevrolet Aveo, because they do not receive notification from General Motors on early termination of the project, said the press service of "GAZ Group". "At the moment, the Gorky Automobile Plant continues with the production program for Chevrolet Aveo under a contract that was concluded between" GAZ Group" and General Motors until the end of 2016 and it includes a number of financial obligations of American partner during the whole period of the contract", – said at GAZ.

Recall that on March 18th, the US carmaker General Motors announced that up to December of 2015 it stops the production in the Russian market its brand Opel, and it will stop the production at its plant in St. Petersburg and contract assembly at the facilities of "GAZ Group" in Nizhny Novgorod. GM has decided to focus on the premium segment of the Russian market due to the Cadillac brand and models of the brand Chevrolet: Corvette, Camaro and Tahoe. It was decided to stop sales in Russia of Chevrolet of the mass segment. In this case, GM will continue the execution of the warranty, as well as supply of spare parts and service in Russia.