- Title: GERMANY: TRUCKERS AND COACH DRIVERS PROTEST AGAINST HIGH FUEL PRICES
- Date: 27th September 2000
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 26, 2000) (REUTERS) 1. HAS TRUCKS ARRIVING AT DAWN ON BERLIN MOTORWAY GENSHAGEN 0.10 GENSHAGEN, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 26, 2000)(REUTERS) 2. SLV TRACTORS DEPARTING FOR BERLIN (2 SHOTS) 0.21 BERLIN, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 26, 2000)(REUTERS) 3. SLV CONVOY OF TRUCKS ARRIVING IN CENTRAL BERLIN; FARMERS STANDING AND WATCHING ARRIVAL OF TRUCKS; ARRIVALS OF TRUCKS (AUDIO HORNS SOUNDING) (2 SHOTS) 0.36 4. (SOUNDBITE) (German) TRUCKER WERNER URBAN SAYING: "It is very simple. I am here because my job is at risk. I am 54 years old. If my company goes broke I am unemployed." 0.44 5. (SOUNDBITE) (German) TRUCKER LUTZ KURBEL SAYING: "The foreign trucks can drive how they like here without having to pay taxes or road tolls. The German drivers are being taken advantage of" 0.53 6. MV HEAD OF THE GERMAN TRUCKERS ASSOCIATION HERMANN GREWER HANDING TRUCKERS PETITION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE GERMAN LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT WOLFGANG THIERSE 1.07 7. AERIALS OF TRUCKS DRIVING AT SNAIL'S PACE ON ROADS TO CENTRE OF BERLIN 1.11 8. AERIAL OF TRUCKERS PROTEST BUILDING UP AT BRANDENBURG GATE 1.22 9. SLV TRUCKERS PROTEST AT BRANDENBURG GATE LISTENING TO HEAD OF THE TRUCKERS; PEOPLE WALKING INTO SUBWAY (7 SHOTS) 1.57 10. (SOUNDBITE) (German) PEDESTRIAN RUEDIGER URBAN SAYING: "I can understand it. However if they would look at the suggested legal changes transport companies would not lose any money because they are going to be compensated in another way. For that reason I think this is a waste of resources." 2.21 11. (SOUNDBITE) (German) PEDESTRIAN TATJANA GEBERT SAYING: "I understand why they are doing it. We will just have to rely on public transport today" 2.27 12. AERIAL ROADS BLOCKED WITH TRUCKS (2 SHOTS) 2.41 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 12th October 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BERLIN AND GENSHAGEN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Reuters ID: LVADJJP3S4OSWNBBAOH4UV7X25VI
- Story Text: About 3,000 German truckers and coach drivers have
protested against fuel prices by clogging traffic in the
capital Berlin but the government said it would not give in to
their demands for lower energy taxes.
As dawn broke on Tuesday (September 26), hundreds of
truckers crawled forward in long columns on the highways
feeding into the capital Berlin.
Tractors joined trucks and tourist coaches from across
Germany who moved at snail's pace through Tiergarten park,
Berlin's main east-west axis, towards the Reichstag parliament
building. Several hundred had spent the night in the park.
Police escorted the trucks to minimise disruption.
"Chancellor, we have had enough," a sign on one truck
read, referring to German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's
refusal to cut fuel duties in the face of sharply dearer world
oil prices.
His only concession has been to offer commuters extra
income tax breaks but he has done nothing for the transport
industry. Germany's small truck and coach operators say fierce
competition across Europe means they cannot recoup their
costs.
Germany has seen few of the mass blockades which brought
turmoil to Britain, France and Belgium earlier this month. But
the sentiments of the German truckers certainly matched those
of all the truckers who have protested throughout Europe
calling for cheaper fuel.
" It is very simple. I am here because my job is at risk.
I am 54 years old. If my company goes broke I am unemployed",
said trucker Werner Urban.
"The foreign trucks can drive how they like here without
having to pay taxes or road tolls. The German drivers are
being taken advantage of," said another trucker, Lutz Kurbel.
The demonstration was remarkably well-disciplined for an
event aimed at bringing chaos to the capital and the police
praised protesters for their restraint.
The head of the Truckers Association, Hermann Grewer,
handed a petition to the President of the German Lower House
of Parliament, Wolfgang Thierne, calling on the government to
lower its tax on fuel.
Truckers continued to arrive in the city in separate
columns escorted by police to assure an orderly procession
from gathering points in the surrounding countryside. Because
of the tight police control and organisation, patient
motorists could still sometimes edge past the convoys.
Police estimated about 7,000 people attended the lunchtime
rally at the landmark Brandenburg Gate, next to the Reichstag,
that included a concert and speeches.
Grewer was there to address the truckers.
Many Berliners who did not heed calls for an ecological
"car-free" day last week left their vehicles at home on
Tuesday, using trains and the city's many bicycle lanes. The
public transport authority offered cheap all-day fares.
Many streets around the centre were nearly empty, offering
far quicker than usual trips for motorists who dared to drive.
Some people said they sympathised with the protesters but
felt it was unnecessary.
"I can understand it. However if they would look at the
suggested legal changes transport companies would not lose any
money because they are going to be compensated in another way.
For that reason I think this is a waste of resources," said
one man, Ruediger Urban.
"I understand why they are doing it. We will just have to
rely on public transport today," said another, Tatjana
Gerbert.
Over the past week trucks and tractors have held up
traffic in Stuttgart, Hanover, Leipzig, Dresden and Munich.
Protesters also called for a national slowdown on motorways
across the country for Tuesday afternoon.
But many think they are on the road to nowhere with the
government refusing to budge from its earlier decision not
follow other European countries such as France and Italy in
lowering fuel taxes.
Opposition conservatives want the government to follow the
example set last week by the United States and sell part of
Germany's strategic oil reserves in a bid to lower current oil
prices - but Transport Minister Reinhard Klimmt on Tuesday
morning repeated the government's refusal to lower petrol taxes.
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