Protesting Bulgarian truckers win government help

Transportation Minister Petar MutafchievSofia - Bulgaria's government Tuesday pledged to shield trucking firms from competition and keep a lid on fuel taxes after haulers snarled traffic in major cities to protest high petrol prices.

Transportation Minister Petar Mutafchiev said he was confident that the proposal to suspend licensing of new trucking companies in Bulgaria was in line with European Union rules.

Truckers face a "crisis situation," he said after cabinet minister, hauling industry officials and fuel distributors held emergency talks on how to ease the burden of high diesel prices.

The government also said it would avoid raising fuel taxes over the next two years. Fuel taxes are already at the maximum allowed until 2010 under Bulgaria's terms of EU membership.

Fuel prices in Bulgaria, which joined the EU last year, are among Europe's highest.

Hundreds of truckers across the country began protests Monday, parking their rigs to cause traffic backups on roads and motorways. Drivers in the capital Sofia and other big cities faced long delays. (dpa)

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