Put under pressure by the Ukrainian president, Adeo, Leroy Merlin’s holding company, responded that a closure would be considered a “premeditated bankruptcy”, “opening the way to an expropriation which would strengthen the financial means of Russia”.
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Adeo, the holding company of Leroy Merlin, does not give in. Put under pressure by Volodymyr Zelensky in front of French parliamentarians, Adeo, Leroy Merlin’s holding company, replied on Wednesday March 23 that it was maintaining its activity in Russia. A closure would be considered a “premeditated bankruptcy”, “opening the way to an expropriation which would strengthen the financial means of Russia”, assured Adeo in a statement to AFP. She assures on the other hand to have “decided at the beginning of the conflict to suspend new investments” in Russia, where the group claims to have 45,000 employees for around a hundred stores.
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“The decision to maintain our activity in Russia is a decision that is not easy”replied Adeo, who says he has a “employer’s responsibility vis-à-vis (its) 45,000 employees and their families who have contributed for 18 years to the construction of Leroy Merlin Russia”.
“We have no reason to condemn our Russian teams for a war they did not choose”
Adéoin a statement to AFP
Adeo generates 18% of its overall business in Russia. “Closing the company overnight, closing our stores, would simply be an abandonment considered as a premeditated bankruptcy, therefore illegal, opening the way to an expropriation, which would strengthen the financial means of Russia”, Added Adeo. She says apply “all the sanctions implemented by the countries of the European Union”and respect “all directives from the French government”.
If Emmanuel Macron asked the brand to leave the Russian market, “it would be different”estimated however the general manager of Adeo, Philippe Zimmermann, questioned about a possible request in this sense from the head of state in a daily interview. The voice of the North (for subscribers) Wednesday evening. He said to himself “offended at being seen as sponsors of the war”. “This can endanger our employees. In Poland, we are already having aggressive reactions”he lamented.