Sicily faces transport and agricultural protests over rising fuel costs

Rising fuel costs have triggered widespread protests and planned industrial actions across Sicily. Farmers have already begun demonstrating with tractors along the Palermo-Agrigento highway to protest the high price of diesel, which has reached approximately 2.39 euros per liter.

In response to the economic pressure, the Comitato Autotrasportatori Siciliani has announced a five-day strike from October 16 to October 20. During this period, truck drivers will remain in their yards and refuse to move semi-trailers from Sicilian ports. The committee cites the lack of government intervention regarding fuel prices and unpaid Sea Modal Shift subsidies as primary drivers for the stoppage.

The crisis is also affecting the fishing and maritime sectors, with operators warning they are on the brink of collapse. While the Sicilian Region has allocated 15 million euros to help offset diesel costs, industry representatives argue these measures are insufficient to address the structural nature of the crisis.