Truckers across Europe yesterday took part in protests calling for immediate action to protect truckers from attacks following the horrific killing of Mihai, a 39-year-old lorry driver, earlier this month. Romania’s National Union of Road Carriers has also called for action to be taken, but some truckers remain sceptical as to whether the tragedy will actually bring about genuine change.
The organisers of yesterday’s protest proposed that participants place the message “Je Suis Mihai” on their windshields.
Driver recruitment firm Autorekrut were one of the many organisations who took part. Posting on Facebook, the company wrote:
Autorekrut stands in solidarity to all professional drivers! Work safety in the field is one of our goals. Unfortunately, the safety of professional drivers is put in danger too many times. Autorekrut expresses regret over the case of Mihai Spătaru as well as all similar cases where a driver s’ life is endangered. Thank you both to #DanielGrasu for the initiative and to all the drivers involved in defending the rights of other professional drivers. Condolences to the family! Safe travels to all drivers!
A number of truckers also took to social media to raise awareness of the issue:
after a romanian truck driver was killed in a parkplace in France, i was deeply affected..because noone cares about them,about their safety, and in my eyes,they are heroes! this drawing is for them! Thank you ! #Driver #trucking #TruckerLife #trucks #jesuismihai #Respect pic.twitter.com/0ez8a5DR8j
— obsidian_fox (@kittygi61493567) May 22, 2021
As one would expect, the tragedy has seen an outpouring of sadness in Romanian drivers’ groups, as well as countless offers of support to Mihai’s family.
According to Romanian news outlet Antena 3, Mihai’s mother visited one of the groups to say thanks to all of those who provided or offered help:
I am Mihai’s mother. I thank you all for the hymns and for the help given. Take care of yourselves, beautiful people. I wish you a safe journey and I will pray every day that God will protect you from trouble!
In light of the tragedy, Romania’s National Union of Road Carriers issued a press release yesterday calling on the authorities to take action to prevent trucks from migrant attacks:
The National Union of Road Carriers of Romania (UNTRR) is calling on the Government of Romania, the Romanian Embassy in France and the French Embassy in Romania to intervene with the French and European authorities to protect road carriers from attacks by immigrants at parking areas and the port area of Calais.
The United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union has led to a decline in the number of carriers operating to and from Britain. Meanwhile, the number of immigrants has continued to rise and trucks have automatically become a safe target for theft in their attempt to cross the English Channel.
Lately, the situation has been totally out of control, the authorities are not involved in prevention – they only fine road hauliers when they find immigrants hiding in trucks. Although trucks are equipped with special padlocks and drivers are trained, immigrants still find ways to get into vehicles, and if they are discovered, they sometimes resort to violence, putting the lives of drivers in danger. This happens despite the fact that the accreditation scheme for the prevention of illegal migration, implemented by the UK authorities, benefits the road transport sector and road transport companies are investing in efficient systems to reduce the entry of illegal immigrants into the United Kingdom.
In addition, European infrastructure is in dire need of secure parking spaces and adequate accommodation for professional drivers.
According to a study by the European Commission, there is a shortage of 100,000 truck parking spaces in the EU, and of the existing (300,000), less than 3% are labeled and certified as safe.
The International Road Transport Union (IRU) estimates that at European level, the annual losses caused by the theft of goods amount to 7 billion euros. According to the IRU, 75% of such incidents occur in parking lots.
The UNTRR has been reporting the lack of secure parking in France since 2014, when several Romanian and Polish trucks were vandalized during drivers’ nightly rest. However, the French and European authorities preferred to take protectionist measures against foreign transport operators rather than measures to increase safety in car parks.
The UNTRR requests the intervention of the French and European authorities and the involvement of the Romanian Government in the protection of professional drivers, as well as of vehicles transporting goods to the United Kingdom.
Last but not least, The UNTRR is calling on the Romanian authorities to create safe parking spaces in Romania in order to prevent such incidents, like the one in France, from taking place.
However, given that the attacks on truckers have been an occurrence for a number of years now, some lorry drivers are naturally sceptical when it comes to the possibility of decisive action being taken.
One of those who has been vocal about security and safety issues facing truckers is Romanian blogger Povești de prin parcări. In a lengthy Facebook post written in a very somber and sober tone, the blogger said that he felt naive for believing something could change following the killing of Mihai. He added that only one MEP is still in contact with him and seems to care about changes being implemented. The Romanian also expressed frustration over the process of repatriating Mihai’s body, which has been delayed while the French police conduct their investigation into the killing.
At the end of his post, Povești de prin parcări then urged people to sign a petition that is to submitted to the European Parliament. At the time of writing, the petition has almost 14,500 signatories.
The problem is that this day will be forgotten. Another two or three weeks maximum and nothing will appear on groups, much less on TV or from politicians’ mouths. Mihai will be forgotten, like everyone else who died in parking areas. But I still hope his death wasn’t in vain and that it will bring about change in the end. Finally, if you care, please sign the petition to be submitted to the European Parliament. To be taken seriously, it needs several tens of thousands of signatures. A few more minutes wasted to complete the petition doesn’t ask much. You know that saying. Hope dies last.
Photo credit: Autorekrut