Truck drivers block highways in Italy in protest over soaring fuel prices

Max Civili
Press TV, Rome

Truck drivers have continued to snarl highways and block ports across Italy as their go-slow protest against soaring fuel prices went into its third day. The National Farmers Association has warned such disruptions in delivery operations may result in empty supermarket shelves and food being wasted.

Truckers' protest against skyrocketing fuel prices entered its third day on Thursday with some of Italy's major highways and national primary routes being blocked for hours.

Also ports in the city of Palermo, Ravenna, Bari, Reggio Calabria and Naples were blockaded by articulated trucks, with angry drivers demanding the government to slash the cost of petrol and diesel oil.

Drivers complain fuel prices have spiked by up to 40% over the past months as inflation soars in the country.

With highways and ports blocked for long hours, tension over truckers’ protest has been on the rise in the past days.

A trucker was stabbed by a motorist in southern Italy. Consumer group CODACONS is threatening to sue truckers for their blockade.

National farmers association Coldiretti has said that the truckers’ protests are causing serious slowdowns in delivery operations across Italy. Coldiretti has warned that this go-slow may lead to empty supermarket shelves and food being thrown away.

Some large food businesses in the south of Italy have already stopped production as they cannot make deliveries to their customers due to high fuel prices. There are serious concerns in Italy over a further surge in energy prices in the coming days following Russia's military operation in Ukraine.

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