Italy offers trucker fuel subsidies to end blockades disrupting airports and supply chains

Italy's Deputy Transport Minister Edoardo Rixi announced fuel subsidies for truckers will be paid starting today, urging protesters to dismantle blockades that are disrupting supplies to hospitals and supermarkets. He warned of potential infiltration by organized crime. The trucker protests have left airports in Crotone and Reggio Calabria without jet fuel, caused highway queues in Campania, and halted food distribution in Calabria. Industrial associations in Campania and Puglia say businesses face collapse, while one Calabrian frozen food company with 400 employees threatens to halt production. Transport Minister Matteo Salvini stated over one billion euros in funds have been unlocked, including 480 million for fuel costs, with 32,000 applications received. Protest groups plan to continue until October 27, while official transport associations have urged Interior Minister Piantedosi to remove the blockades.