Crotone and Reggio Calabria airports out of fuel as trucker protests continue

(ANSA) - ROME, 21 OTT - Italian air-traffic-management agency ENAV said Wednesday that Crotone and Reggio Calabria airports have run out of jet fuel because of strikes and protests by truckers over soaring gas prices that have hit supplies. ENAV said "pilots must therefore plan to refuel at the departure airport or a previous airport, in sufficient quantity for subsequent legs". Protests involving truckers blocking roads or sealing off lanes to slow traffic started in many parts of the country, especially the south, last week, following strikes and sit-ins by farmers and fishers, and have led to empty shelves in supermarkets in many areas. The Sicilian Hauliers' Committee (CTS) said Tuesday that it was calling off the suspension of its activities after Transport Minister Matteo Salvini met road haulage associations in Milan and the government announced 480 million euros in aid was on the way for lorry drivers. But truckers in Calabria and other parts of southern Italy said their protests would continue at least until another meeting scheduled to take place at the transport ministry in Rome on October 27. On Wednesday 11 associations of trucking companies issued a joint statement calling on Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi to intervene to remove the roadblocks. "Continuing to paralyze the country is no longer justifiable now that the government has reopened dialogue with the industry and has made significant commitments in line with the agreement reached at the premier's office to provide immediate liquidity to trucking companies and identify the necessary measures to address the current situation," said the Anita, CNA/FITA, Confartigianato Trasporti, FAI, Fedit, FIAP, SNA Casartigiani, Confcooperative Lavoro e Servizi, Legacoop Produzione e Servizi, UNATRAS, and ASSOTIR associations. (ANSA).
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