Europe fuel protests grow, UK faces emergency
Copyright 2000, Reuters
September 12, 2000
Protests against fuel prices blocked highways across Europe today, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair faced a national emergency with both truckers and farmers threatening to bring the country to a halt.
Haulers furious at high prices and taxes promised more wildcat action across the continent as world oil prices edged higher despite an OPEC pledge to increase production.
Protests began in Germany and more were likely in Spain and Ireland.
There were reports protests could spread to Eastern Europe.
In London, gasoline pumps ran dry after panic buying swept Britain. In the worst hit areas, rubbish went uncollected and hospitals canceled non-emergency services.
Blair pulled out of a tour of northern England and rushed to London to consider invoking emergency measures.
"Legitimate protest is one thing," a spokeswoman for Blair said. "But we have to look at the disruption that is now being caused."
Britons pay more for their gasoline than other Europeans, squeezed by hefty fuel taxes and oil prices hitting a near 10-year high.
Paradoxically, Britain is a big oil producer itself.
By mid-day local time, about half of Britain's 13,000 gasoline stations were dry.
Shares in UK supermarkets fell on fears the retail sector would be next hit, while emergency services issued warnings about everything from blood supplies to firefighting.
Emergency powers would aim to ensure that hospitals, schools and other vital services have enough fuel to keep working.
"This is by far the worst crisis we've had in 25 years. The government has to step in immediately," said a car organization, the Royal Automobile Club (RAC).
It predicted London would run out of gasoline by the end of the day.
Blair puts onus on oil firms
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said Blair would meet representatives from oil companies to tell them that they must start distributing fuel.
"It is the responsibility of the oil companies to see to the distribution," Prescott told reporters.
But BP Amoco said it would send gasoline and diesel tanker drivers out of blockaded depots and refineries only if police protection was provided.
"We are not willing to put the lives of our drivers at risk," said a company spokesman.
Farmers promised to bring London to a standstill.
"Blair went running home (to London) with his tail between his legs, he couldn't deal with the real feeling of this country," said farmer David Neave at a blockade near the city of Manchester. "We'll strangle London …. We will bring it to its knees."Dutch truckers staged wildcat blockades to stop traffic on highways around Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Later, about 60 taxi drivers forced a traffic slowdown on roads around Amsterdam.
The BBC, monitored in London, quoted a Polish radio report that haulers and fishermen were considering blockades against fuel depots, refineries and ports.
"The fishermen are so desperate that, who knows, this might get out of control," Maciej Dlouchy, chairman of the Polish national fisheries chamber, was quoted as saying.
Germans protest against green fuel tax plan
German truckers threatened to disrupt the country's transport network from Thursday. In Hamburg, farmers said they would join the transport and taxi strike to press the government to cut diesel taxes and postpone an ecological tax on fuel.
German police said about 100 trucks were joined by bus and taxi drivers today for a protest at Saarbruecken.
Belgian truckers mounted a third day of blockades, vowing to stay put for weeks unless the government met their demands.
The blockade of key streets leading to Brussels' historic center widened and blockades were also set up in the southern cities of Charleroi and Nivelles.
"One week, 15 days, three weeks — no problem," said trucker Jean Bury.Irish truck drivers vowed to take action starting Friday if their demands were not met.
Angry Spanish farmers today were planning a series of protests after talks with the Madrid government failed to reach a deal on how to compensate them for rising transportation costs.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries decided Sunday to raise output by 800,000 barrels per day, but so far the decision has failed to steady high oil prices.
The price of OPEC's basket of seven crudes rose Monday to $32.45 a barrel from $32.37 Friday, the OPEC news agency said today.