“The Belgian government institution Credendo supports social dumping, exploitation and unfair competition against Belgian transport companies.” The trade union BTB-ABVV said this because of a bank guarantee of 74 million euros that the credit insurer provided for the financing of 1,200 new trucks for the Lithuanian transport company Girteka.
The guarantee was granted to the German banking consortium AKA Bank, which provided Girteka with a loan of 74 million euros. “Girteka, one of the largest transport companies in Europe, has long been criticized for violating European transport rules, including those regarding cabotage,” BTB-ABVV said. “At the beginning of 2023, trade media announced that the company was opening branches in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, to attract additional drivers from Turkmenistan, among others, for deployment in Europe.”
“Girteka has been using cheap drivers from third countries in the European Union for years,” says Frank Moreels, chairman of BTB-ABVV. “This creates unfair competition for Belgian transporters.” The union also points out that Girteka already raised 173 million euros earlier this year for the purchase of thousands of additional trucks. According to BTB-ABVV, the new guarantee fits into a broader expansion strategy that further increases the pressure on Western European transport companies. The union is asking for the guarantee to be withdrawn.
