In Milan the trade unions of the category met with Minister Salvini, who announced: "The allocated funds will be disbursed immediately, then the additional resources". More road blocks in the South. Fuel and food supplies are also starting to run out in Ischia and Procida
The protests of hauliers in the South continue, who received answers this morning from the category's meeting with the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Matteo Salvini. In the afternoon, the owner of the MIT also met "some self-employed road haulage workers because I think it is right to listen to the big ones and also listen to the little ones. I ask everyone for the removal of any blockage still in progress". Deputy Minister Rixi announced: "From today 480 million are available for the sector", hoping that the blocks will end "this afternoon. Because it is clear that a situation like this cannot continue". The first signal, in this sense, came from the Sicilian Transport Committee (CTS) which ordered the lifting of the stoppage of services to give a signal of openness to the government. The association specifies, however, that companies will remain in a state of turmoil until the last open issues are completely resolved. "The blockades of Campania's hauliers will continue at least until October 27, when a new meeting with the government is scheduled, then we'll see", said Vincenzo Parisi, delegate from Campania and representative of the group of hauliers of the industrial center of Carinaro, in the province of Caserta.
The table with the hauliers in the Prefecture in Milan
Mid-morning there was a table with the hauliers in the Prefecture in Milan with the deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini. The acronyms Fai, Anita, Assotir, Cna Fita, Confartigianato Trasporti, Fedit, Fiap, Trasporto Unito Fiap, Confcooperative, Legacoop Sviluppo e Servizi and Sna-Casartigiani were convened. At the end, Deputy Transport Minister Edoardo Rixi declared: "We have released around one billion euros: 480 million for all the applications that arrived up to August and then we will put new resources in September-October, but the tax credit will obviously be in 2027". The deputy minister then added: "From today we will start disbursing the contributions on the 430, which have now become approximately 480 million, to eliminate all the applications received up to August 30th, which is the last window that was opened". With the hauliers "we have a series of deadline meetings, we will see each other again on the 27th. The government has undertaken to include the new resources in a new decree and then there is the issue that we are trying to develop a proposal to match the Spanish model, which sees a substantial adjustment of prices with the increase in diesel also on the issue of road haulage tariffs", concluded Rixi. Before the meeting, Minister Salvini had spoken to Rtl 102.5: "To overcome the bureaucratic obstacles, we have imposed that they will begin to be paid out as early as this week, because many companies cannot wait. Then there will certainly be additional resources. There will also be cash availability for the so-called Marebonus, the result of a European regulation that is out of this world and out of time".
The key points of the agreement with MIT
Of the requests presented, only two cannot be immediately accepted, explained the Sicilian Transport Committee. "The minister has however guaranteed that, with the launch of the permanent table for Southern Italy, the necessary coverage will be identified to extend the tax credit on diesel for a further four months and to introduce contributions aimed at controlling the costs of ferry tickets for crossing the Strait of Messina", said the CTS, for which the key points of the agreement that the ministry has undertaken to make operational are: immediate release of arrears of payments (disbursement of funds for the Sea Modal Shift (SMS) relating to the years 2023/2024 and 2025/2026, for a value of approximately 104 million euros); increase in funds (allocation of a further 50 million euros for the third year (2026/2027)); diesel tax credit (immediate release of 430 million euros relating to applications already submitted, which must be made immediately spendable in the tax drawer); institutional representation (stable inclusion of the CTS in all institutional tables dedicated to mobility and transport, including the new Council, to guarantee the protection of companies in Southern Italy).
In Campania blocks ahead until the table of October 27th
"Sicily is unblocked and Calabria, Molise and Campania remain blocked? But where are you going? The ferries arrive and park. What is the solution?" observes Vincenzo Parisi, delegate from Campania and representative of the group of transporters of the industrial center of Carinaro. "Together with Puglia, Molise, Basilicata and Calabria, we will liaise with the transporters who are part of these measures and we will report to them everything that emerged from the meeting. Then everyone will make their own assessments. At the moment I can say that, 90%, in these regions we will continue with the blockades. In my opinion - he underlines -, we will continue for at least ten days, until the meeting on the 27th. We have asked the questions. If the ministers and the government want anticipate, we can also come tomorrow morning, as long as there is something concrete".
Shortage of goods on shelves in Messina
Meanwhile in the center of Messina almost all supermarkets have a shortage of goods, and waste collection has also stopped in many municipalities in the Ionian area. The door-to-door service for the collection of undifferentiated waste will not be carried out in at least 15 centres: Giardini Naxos, Letojanni, Gaggi, Gallodoro, Castelmola, Mongiuffi Melia, Forza d'Agrò, Sant'Alessio Siculo, S. Teresa di Riva, Savoca, Casalvecchio Siculo, Antillo, Pagliara, Mandanici and Scaletta Zanclea.
The protests in Puglia
Protests continue in Puglia: at dawn a procession of dozens of tractors and trucks crossed the streets on the outskirts of Bitonto, in the Bari area, along provincial road 231, arriving in the city where a protest against high fuel prices was established. Farmers and hauliers met wearing placards and displaying banners expressing their discontent and explaining the reasons for the protest. "They increase petrol and bread, they give us the police. This is their democracy" and again "People, don't stand by and watch. The high cost of living and the increase in petrol are also your business". Words written on cardboard worn as vests. "No weapons, more school, work, healthcare. All-out strike" reads another sign. On the tractors there are banners with the words: "Did you want young farmers? Now listen to us" and again "Stop unfair imports. Let's protect our territory". The appeal is to the institutions and citizens because "it is time to make our voice heard".
The garrisons in Calabria
This morning the protests resumed along the SS 18, in the Tyrrhenian Sea near Cosenza. In Tortora, Santa Maria del Cedro, Acquappesa-Guardia Piemontese and Fuscaldo, civil society, local politicians and students crowd the garrisons, showing solidarity with the demonstrators. In the shops and supermarkets of Cosenza we are starting to notice a progressive shortage of fresh products, with empty shelves in the departments dedicated to fruit, vegetables and in particular for fresh milk, the supply of which is directly affected by the halt in daily deliveries. The mobilization of farmers and hauliers also continues unabated in the Pollino and Sibaritide areas. Even today, for the fifth consecutive day, the hauliers patrolled, with their articulated trucks, both the state road 534, near the Firmo/Sibari motorway junction, and the state road 106, near the Sybaris Motel, in the Cassano Ionio area. Just as the farmers' protest continues for the ninth consecutive day in the "Bianchino" district, a strategic point in the Municipality of Castrovillari where State Road 241 and Provincial Road 174 intersect. This morning on the 534 there were about sixty articulated lorries parked on the road while on the 106, near the Sybaris Motel, more than one hundred and fifty articulated lorries, about twenty on both sides of the road and more than 130 parked in the large Motel lot.
Protests and blockades on the A2
The hauliers are also protesting in Vallo di Diano, in the province of Salerno, where there have been demonstrations at the Polla, Atena Lucana, Sala Consilina and Padula-Buonabitacolo junctions of the A2 Mediterranean. The mobilization also affects other points in the province of Salerno, at the motorway junctions of Eboli, Contursi, Campagna and Sicignano degli Alburni. Trucks also stopped in Pontecagnano Faiano, at the exit of the ring road, near the roundabout.
The ferries to Ischia and Procida are at risk
Meanwhile, the situation of fuel and food supplies on the islands of Ischia and Procida is worsening, where the protest of hauliers is causing growing difficulties and now risks compromising maritime connections as well. In fact, the fuel needed to power the ferries that connect the two islands to the mainland is starting to run low. The shipping company Caremar sent a note to the Prefecture of Naples and the Campania Region asking for the activation of an emergency plan to guarantee supplies and avoid the detention of ships starting from Thursday morning. Available fuel supplies could run out in the next few hours, resulting in the suspension of maritime connections. However, the supply of fuel for hydrofoils is still regular. This morning the ship destined for the transport of automotive and heating fuels destined for Ischia and Procida did not depart from the port of Pozzuoli because the tank trucks did not leave the depots in the refineries.
Since yesterday evening in Ischia there have been long queues of motorists in front of petrol stations, with the municipal police forced in some cases to intervene to regulate traffic. The rush to fill up is fueled by the fear of running out of stocks which, according to information gathered, could run out within 48-72 hours. In Procida, meanwhile, the petrol available in distribution systems is now close to running out.
The situation of supermarkets is also critical: in Procida the shelves are now empty, while in Ischia, especially fruit, vegetables, dairy products and other fresh products are starting to run out. The last regular supplies date back to last Friday and the goods destined for the two islands remain stuck in the logistics platforms on the mainland, where the hauliers' presence prevents normal loading and unloading operations.
The protest in Molise
Protests also in Molise, where the hauliers' protest against high petrol prices has moved from Roccaravindola to Venafro, again on State Road 85, the road that connects Molise to Campania. The effects of the protest are being felt more strongly, because fuel is sold out in almost all service stations in the province of Isernia. In Isernia it is also difficult to find vegetables or other fresh products, the shelves are starting to be empty especially in discount stores where families have also stocked up on meat. There is great concern among consumers and commuters who fear not being able to reach their workplace by car.
