Sofia  - Around 1,000 truckers staged a protest Monday in Bulgaria against record-high diesel fuel prices, local media reported.

Drivers were demanding that the government urgently curb fuel price rises.

Transport companies say that the high fuel prices are a result of speculation and cartel agreements, and the truckers said they have started to fill their tanks in countries like Slovenia where the fuel is cheaper.

Fuel prices in Bulgaria are among the highest in Europe, statistics show. A liter of diesel in Bulgaria costs 1.29 euros, while in Slovenia, where salaries are considerably higher, the per- litre price is 1.16 euros.

Statistics also show that diesel prices in Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland and Austria are also lower compared to Bulgaria. (dpa)