More Fuel Trouble

Fuel Protests Spread Across Europe



Sept. 18 — The wave of fuel price protests sweeping through Europe
regained momentum today after a weekend lull, forcing already shaken
governments to implement political damage control measures.
In Norway, truckers called a wildcat strike and blocked 11 oil
terminals at key ports along the south and west coasts, but later called
off their protest under threat of police action.
The truckers gave up the call for a strike after state oil firm
Statoil asked police to stop the blockade, citing economic losses and a
risk of claims from large customers if it continued.
“Statoil has reported the blockade to the police and we have
therefore decided to call off the demonstrations immediately,” the
independent Car Owners’ Interest Associations said in a statement today.
Norway underwent a weekend of panic especially in remote areas of the
country where cars are a vital part of everyday life.
Oil companies said that Norway’s 3.2 million barrels per day output
had been unaffected by the blockade. The nation is the second biggest
exporter after Saudi Arabia.
Sweeping the Continent
Protests in Europe centered around Scandinavia but blockades sprang up at
the Spanish port of Barcelona and in Slovenia. Israeli truckers threatened
to stage their own demonstrations starting on Tuesday.
Spain was the focus of some tough action as fishermen in Barcelona
sealed off the port and truckers laid siege to fuel distribution points in
the center of the country.
In Sweden, truckers and farmers today blocked access to ferries,
which are the country’s lifeline to the rest of Europe. Similar actions
were taken in Denmark.
In the Netherlands, go-slow protests, which caused rush-hour misery
last week, were suspended after a major demonstration Friday as truckers,
taxi drivers and farmers were mulling government offers of a series of
rebates and tax concessions.
The German government was scrambling to achieve unity within its own
ranks ahead of a planned major boycott campaign by truckers and farmers
scheduled to start Thursday.
Austria has not experienced any protests, so far even as the
government is holding out the prospect of doubling the annual winter
heating cost allowance for lower income families. These are only available
in some provinces. The government wants to expand them nationwide.

The British Lesson

Most European governments were plunged into action after the bruising
Britain’s Labor government received following the hard line adopted by
Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Polls across the continent showed that the general public strongly
supported the blockades. A weekend poll in Britain put the opposition
Conservatives ahead of Labor for the first time in eight years
As gasoline supplies in Britain gradually got back to normal, the
government said it would ask oil companies to sign a joint memorandum
outlining respective duties in case protesters angry about high fuel
prices staged another blockade.
A task force of government ministers and oil representatives was
scheduled to meet this afternoon to discuss the memorandum, which the
government would like signed ahead of planned legislation obliging oil
companies to maintain fuel deliveries at all times.
This would put them on the same footing as essential services like
gas and water.
“It will formalize what the responsibilities were on the government
should there be a repeat of things, and what the responsibilities were on
the oil companies,” Blair’s spokesman said.
Legislation would not be introduced before late November, he
indicated. “We want to legislate quickly, because a structural weakness
has been shown in the events of last week,” he said.
“But we can’t have policy dictated to us…the government is not
conducting its business or working towards an arbitrary 60 day deadline
that has been given to us.”
Ireland Joins Fray
Irish fishermen today said they would tie up their boats in ports around
the country in a 24-hour protest over high fuel prices.
Up to 90 percent of the country’s fishing fleet is expected to join
the 24-hour stoppage, scheduled to begin at midday on Tuesday, said a
spokesman for Ireland’s fishermen’s organizations.
“We’re asking our members in various key ports to join what is a
token protest at fuel prices,” said Joey Murrin, chief executive of the
Killybegs Fishermen’s Organization in the northwestern county of Donegal.
High fuel prices had hit the fishing industry hardest, causing losses
estimated at $16.3 million in the first eight months of the year, he said.
“We’re here and we’re in trouble. If this situation continues we’ll
be tying up our boats permanently,” he added.

ABCNEWS.com's Sue Masterman, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed
to this report.

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