Transport strike to end this week, says Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday said he was confident his government would reach an agreement with striking truck drivers to end the ongoing transport strike this week.

Sanchez said his government is working on a package of measures to respond to the economic problems caused by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Speaking at the weekly "control" session in parliament, the prime minister said the aim was for "everyone together to form a great plan to give an answer to the consequences of the conflict in Ukraine and to approve it on March 29" at the next cabinet meeting.

The government on Monday agreed on an aid package of 500 million euros (550.70 million U.S. dollars) for the transport sector with the National Committee for Road Transport, which represents around 80 percent of the companies in the sector.

The two sides are scheduled to meet again on Friday to discuss details on how the financial aid will work.

The strike, launched on March 14 to protest high fuel costs and the drivers' working conditions, has had wide-ranging effects, such as forcing the Spanish Federation of Dairy Industries to shut down activity last week, leaving many dairy farmers with no option other than to pour their milk down the drain.

Food supplies to sheep and cattle have also been affected, along with transport in and out of ports, while a lack of supplies has forced the Volkswagon car factory in the region of Navarre and the Mercedes factory in Vitoria in northern Spain to halt production.

Multinational food producer "Danone" has also announced an imminent shutdown along with the Cruzcampo, Heineken Estrella Galicia breweries, while panic buying by customers has left supermarket shelves empty of products such as milk and sunflower oil.

(ANI/Xinhua)