The French government made a new appeal, Saturday, for calm in the face of fuel shortages at an increasing number of gas stations, especially in the north of the country.
Nearly one in five gas stations have run out of fuel, according to Energy Transition Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher, insisting that the rest, more than 80%, are “operating normally.”
We have launched strategic reserves. “We are calling for calm and responsibility,” the Minister of Environmental Transition, Christophe Picchu, told FranceInfo public radio.
Operators have also resorted to emergency imports, and authorities have exceptionally allowed tank trucks to circulate on Sundays – the day when they are normally forbidden to operate – in order to supply service stations.
“The situation must improve,” Christophe Picchu was quoted by the EFE news agency as saying.
The shortage is due to the strike of three refineries from the Total and Esso oil groups, with their workers demanding higher salaries to offset higher living costs and more employment.
The strike at the Esso de Fos refinery (near Marseille) started 17 days ago, while Total’s facilities were paralyzed last Tuesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron had already called for a “calm” of the French on Friday.
“Given the shortage, there were panic movements and many of our compatriots rushed to gas stations to fill the tank as a precaution. However, this situation accelerates the effect of panic,” Macron warned.
In some areas, including the Paris region, television images show long queues and drivers frustrated with waiting, sometimes for several hours, because when it’s their turn they run out of fuel.
The situation is particularly dangerous in the Hautes-de-France (North) region, where almost half of the service stations are experiencing some difficulties.
In several departments, the sale of fuel in barrels and containers has been banned, with priority given to vehicles such as ambulances, firefighters, police and school buses.
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