Truckers block roads for a third day across Romania over high prices

They also say that many transport and agricultural companies are on the verge of bankruptcy.

Police stopped them on the main roads into Bucharest, as the protesters threatened to blockade the city, in an effort to pressure the Romanian government. 

State officials say that they are willing to talk to the protesters but the security forces have denied them access to the capital because, they say, they lack the authorisation to protest.

Hundreds of truckers from around Romania began what was an apparently spontaneous protest on January 10th, by setting out for Bucharest.

After dozens of trucks and tractors tried to force their way past the police, they were stopped and by Friday morning had converged on Afumati, east of the city. 

The road to the Calafat customs post near the Bulgarian border was also blocked by dozens of tractors and trucks.