Three weeks into the protest, Romanian truckers continue their mobilization with a large-scale sit-in coordinated with farmers in Afumați, near the capital, Bucharest. In the third week of January 2024, the protest escalated with blockades on roads, border crossings, ports, and airports. On January 16, the government convened with associations, offering some concessions, but these were deemed insufficient to suspend the mobilization.
The protest revolves around the increase in premiums for RCA insurance and the lack of tolerance for overloading, sidestepping regulations set by the European Union with a new law enacted in January. Regarding insurance, Romanian truckers claim that the premiums are higher than those in neighboring countries, thereby distorting competition. Discussions also focus on the amount of diesel excise duty refunds, which now seem to be the issue most likely to reach an agreement.
