Abd Al-Lateef Al-Bazz – HIBAPRESS
Protests by truck drivers and farmers are widening in Southern Italy against the backdrop of a sharp rise in fuel prices and escalating transportation and production costs, amid traffic disruptions and difficulties in transporting goods, and fears of the crisis reflecting on the supply of food and fuel to markets.
The movements have extended to a number of regions, including Sicily, Calabria, Puglia, Basilicata, and Campania, where traffic jams and truck stoppages have been recorded in the vicinity of ports and some road junctions, while fuel stations in affected areas have faced difficulties in refueling, coinciding with delays in the arrival of some goods to stores.
Professionals are demanding urgent government intervention to alleviate the burden of fuel costs and to disburse the previously announced financial support for the transportation sector, warning of the continuation of protests in the absence of a tangible response to their demands. In contrast, the disruptions raise concerns about the continuity of supply chains, especially for perishable agricultural products.
Amid escalating pressures, attention is turning to the expected meeting with representatives of the transportation sector on October 20, in an effort to contain the crisis and avoid the expansion of protests, amid warnings of the spillover of rising energy costs to the prices of goods and services.
