G.M. owned Swedish automaker, Saab, filed for bankruptcy protection Friday and asked the Swedish government for help in making it an independent car company again.

Earlier in the week, G.M. said that it wanted to drop Saab by 2010, as it tries to restructure in order to qualify for more federal assistance.

Saab went to a Swedish court and askedfor  protection from its creditors, and stated the company would ‘with assistance from the Swedish government’ reorganize to pave the way for private investors to buy all or part of the company.