Lorry blockades: protest suspended in Sicily. Cabinet meeting today: 110 million immediately for diesel

Farmers, however, are calling for the Falerna (Catanzaro) junctions to remain blockaded. “The protests organised by the Movimento Territorio e Agricoltura are continuing, despite the still-unclear lifting of the blockade by Fedralog,” wrote Matteo Talarico, leader of the movement, on social media, as he continues to rally farmers and others. “We invite disillusioned hauliers, businesses and the general public,” he continued, “to come and join us at our peaceful protest sites in Falerna, Castrovillari, San Marco Argentano, Spezzano Albanese and the new sites ready to open! Full steam ahead!” Following the hauliers’ decision to call off the blockades and the wait to see what will happen in the talks with the Government, anticipation is growing in supermarkets across Calabrian towns to see the shelves restocked with fresh food. The same goes for many petrol stations which have run out of fuel in recent days.” 

The Anti-Mafia Committee has launched an investigation into possible infiltration by organised crime into the agricultural sector protests in Calabria. The chair of the parliamentary body, FdI MP Chiara Colosimo, has reportedly responded favourably to a request from a party colleague, Senator Marco Silvestroni, who on 13 October called for an investigation into the findings of press reports concerning the protests in Pizzo, Crotone, Lamezia Terme and Rosarno, asking that, ‘where concrete evidence emerges, the Committee should consider launching the necessary investigations and exercising the investigative powers falling within its institutional remit’. Three days ago, it is understood, Colosimo replied to the senator, explaining that ‘initial checks carried out – following the numerous reports received by the Committee – have revealed significant corroborating evidence and further circumstances that certainly appear to warrant specific further investigation’, in order to ‘reconstruct the dynamics underlying the presence of individuals or interests linked to organised crime and attempts to influence the protest movements’. In her letter, the chair of the Anti-Mafia Commission assures that ‘the matter will therefore be followed with due attention’, including to ‘assess the appropriate investigative measures’.

The price of diesel is rising, reaching 2.3 euros on the motorway. According to the latest figures from the Mimit Fuel Price Observatory, the average price of self-service fuel across the national road network stands at 2.024 euros per litre for petrol (a slight fall from yesterday’s 2.026 euros) and 2.260 euros for diesel (compared with 2.259 yesterday). On the motorway network, however, the average self-service price is 2.047 euros for petrol (a slight increase from yesterday’s 2.045) and 2.300 euros for diesel (up from yesterday’s 2.294).