The story of the Hegelmann Transporte driver: he lost his job and became an illegal homeless man

“I have been living in a car for four months,” he told Delfi.

Comparing what Homidov looks like now with what he looked like when he took the passport photo gives the impression that the man has lost around 20 pounds of weight.

The situation of a former Hegelmann Transport employee is also complicated by the fact that the nearest embassy in Tajikistan is in Minsk, Belarus.

“Actually, it is now illegal,” said Audrius Cuzanauskas, head of the Lithuanian Alliance of Trade Unions, which is trying to help M. Homidov.

For his part, Tomas Jurgelevičius, General Manager of Hegelmann Transporte, said that the employment relationship with M. Homidov was terminated at the initiative of the employee.

“It goes without saying that after the termination of the employment relationship, that person lost his residence permit in Lithuania. Such a procedure is established by law,” he told Delfi.

Didn’t realize you’re forgiven

M. Homidov met A. Cuzanauskas on July 22. Delfi, the head of the Lithuanian Trade Union Alliance, said that he had already requested the Migration Department for Tajik documents and the Center to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings for the purpose of accommodation and restoration.

According to Homidov himself, he was fired by Hegelmann Transporte on March 6.

The Tajik learned of the well-paid job of a recruiting company in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. In 2018 M. Homidovas arrived in Lithuania and began transporting cargo in other European countries.

“They promised me that in the first month I would receive 900 euros, in the second month, 1.6 thousand. EUR, and in the third month – 2.2 thousand. Euros,” he said.

However, as you can see from Sodra’s certificate on the person’s state social security, M. Homidov’s insured income fluctuated. About half of his income in his hands was a daily allowance.

“I did not pay my salary in March, I just dropped the advance. He said we would find out when he returned to Lithuania, and then he said he was in debt. It is not clear what,” he said.

Homidov also claimed that he did not know why he had been fired. “Why did you forgive?” He gave me the paper and everything, ”he said.

The certificate of Sodra, a former employee of Hegelmann Transporte, establishes that his employment ended on April 6 in accordance with Article 55 (1) of the Labor Code, that is. and. “Termination of the employment contract at the initiative of the employee without important reasons.”

“An indefinite-term employment contract and a fixed-term employment contract concluded for a period of more than one month may be terminated by a written declaration by the employee, notifying the employer no later than twenty calendar days in advance,” states the code.

From March 1 to 31, M. Homidov received € 240.24 in “paper” income, and from April 1 to 6, another € 42.31, according to Sodra data.

Mr. Homidov stated that he did not understand that his employment relationship was ending in this way. The Tajik does not speak Lithuanian.

“Surprisingly, there is no obligation to translate financial documents into a language they understand. This is already a crime, although there is no imperative rule to do so in the Labor Code,” said A. Cuzanauskas.

For his part, T. Jurgelevičius, the head of Hegelmann Transporte, told Delfi that the company’s documents are provided to employees in a language they understand.

“The person he mentioned has worked for the company for about a year, he has been communicating with this employee in Russian the entire time,” he said.

T. Jurgelevičius added that the salary at Hegelmann Transporte is also calculated and paid according to the procedure established by law.

I have nowhere to live

Until March 6, Mr. Homidov lived in a company hotel, along with other drivers, in a room of 8 people each.

“It just caught our eye then. I went back to the hotel and there the woman said she couldn’t live there anymore. Pick up things and go wherever you want,” he said.

Tajik further said that he had an incident on the last trip.

“I had a 54-year-old student. You will no longer be able to drive. You can’t drive, I’m tense all the time.

I drove in Italy, there is a slippery surface. Strong, and there was a car in front, he was braking, I also wanted to brake, but the car passed by and scratched a bit.

I asked my manager for the coordinates where I should download. And he started screaming that I had to know everything myself. I see … it’s 9 p.m. I worked, I am the same and still nervous. I am a human, not an animal, there is no need to scream.

I called the CEO and told him how he was behaving. When I returned to Lithuania, they took me through the door, ”said M. Homidovas.

A former Hegelmann Transporte employee explained that at 9 p.m. He worked 24 hours a day while riding a double crew. “But the other driver was not driving,” he said.

Homidov also testified that the documents were falsified.

“Drivers are said to live in hotels, although in reality this is not the case.” You have to show the police that you lived in a hotel on Saturdays and Sundays, even though you were actually in the car, ”he said.

At that time, M. Jurgelevičius replied that Hegelmann Transport has several recreation bases for long-term driver rest.

Live illegally

Homidov, who lost his place of residence, has been living in an Opel Astra for four months.

“Friends help, there are Lithuanians, Tajiks who help,” he said.

Tajik explained that he cannot return to Tajikistan because he has no way to do it. “There is no plane, train or bus. Now it is in quarantine,” he explained.

Homidov also said that he had found another job in Kaunas, but that he could not start because he was in Lithuania illegally.

The interlocutor considered going to the embassy in Minsk, but also refused due to quarantine restrictions.

“We do not know why the person remained in Lithuania for so long, violating the order to remain on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania.

If the editorial office knows his location, the responsible authorities should be indicated, since the person is in Lithuania illegally, ”said M. Jurgelevičius.

Hegelmann Transporte’s shareholders are Anton and Siegfried Hegelmann.

After asking Mr. Homidov for advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Delfi received the following response:

“The possibility of foreigners leaving Lithuania due to the coronavirus pandemic is not restricted, therefore, a foreigner should request the Belarusian authorities to regulate entry issues to this country for a trip to Minsk.” However, when leaving Lithuania, a foreigner must take into account the restrictions on the entry of foreigners applied by Lithuania and assess their chances of returning. ”

For her part, Evelina Gudzinskaitė, Director of the Migration Department, said that foreigners have the opportunity to move to another employer without leaving Lithuania, if they are legally in Lithuania.

“In this case, it can be seen that the Tajik citizen has been in Lithuania illegally and for a long time, and did not take any advance measures to extend his legal life in Lithuania.” You need to leave Lithuania to end your illegal stay in Lithuania, ”he said.

E. Gudzinskaitė also stated that a Tajik citizen must submit an application to the Migration Department, which will make the decision to return him to a foreign state.

“After evaluating the possibilities of the foreigner to leave as soon as possible and if he cooperates on the issue of return, the decision will establish a period of 7 to 30 days, during which the foreigner will be forced to leave Lithuania voluntarily. After voluntarily leaving Lithuania, a foreigner, if he finds an employer in Lithuania, will be able to come to Lithuania to work again without hindrance, ”he said.