Protests in Italy: Blocked highways, empty supermarket shelves

Where there would normally be fruit and vegetables, there is now a yawning emptiness. The refrigerators with fresh meat are also completely empty, and there are even large gaps in frozen goods. And this supermarket in Palermo, Sicily, is no exception - in several cities in southern Italy, many supermarkets are lacking a lot of things, especially fresh food.

A supermarket customer from Campania tells us what he wanted to buy: cold cuts, chicken breast, meat, tuna. Instead, he goes home with just beans, peas and pasta. The supply of pasta is also stalling: the first manufacturer has already suspended production, which is a warning sign in Italy, where pasta is the national dish.

Protest against high diesel prices

The background for this: not a new pandemic, but protests, this time not violent like at the weekend in Milan, but peaceful. However, all the more effective. Trucks have been at a standstill in several regions in southern Italy for days, blocking motorway entrances - instead of delivering goods to supermarkets, raw materials to companies or petrol to gas stations.

The reason for the strike and protests is the increased cost of living in general and the high diesel prices in particular. Truck driver Angelo De Renzo, who is taking part in the protests in Calabria, also says this: "Unfortunately, refueling is now filled with fear. I use so many liters that I'm afraid to look at the price - regardless of whether it's diesel or petrol. We're really excited, we don't know what to do anymore."

Government assures support

The issue of petrol and diesel is particularly sensitive because several large energy companies in Italy have introduced a price cap for petrol and diesel at their petrol stations in a kind of voluntary commitment. However, the transport companies and their trucks hardly benefit from this; they usually refuel at significantly higher prices. That's why they're calling for government action; they need quick help to avoid going bankrupt, they say again and again.

Italy's government has reacted and brought forward a meeting that had already been planned with the transport industry. After the meeting, Deputy Transport Minister Edoardo Rixi said they wanted to support the transport industry, release planned state aid more quickly and provide new funds. The aim is to legislate that freight costs automatically rise when the price of diesel rises - the burden would then no longer fall solely on the transport companies.

"We know we are in a difficult situation, but the Italian government has a tight grip on public finances and is trying to allocate resources in such a way as to avoid situations like those that have occurred in other European countries, which then lead to blockages in the logistics chain and systemic crises," said Rixi.

Italy is threatened with a standstill

But is that enough? Sergio Lo Monte from Confartigianato Trasporti, the Italian association of crafts and transport logistics, now wants to consult with the association members. He emphasized again: Help is needed quickly.

"If this path satisfies us, if these funds arrive on time, the conflict with the government can certainly be resolved," said Lo Monte. “Otherwise we will also be forced to take protective measures for our companies.”

And that could mean: a day-long, nationwide strike in the transport industry. This would effectively paralyze Italy.