Rome, Dec 12, SPA -- Truck drivers in Italy continued to strike Wednesdayignoring a government order for them to halt the stoppage and clearblockades paralysing road traffic and threatening food and fuelsupplies, according to dpa. Transport Minister Alessandro Bianchi's order issued Tuesdayevening had given truck drivers until midnight to remove theirvehicles from highway toll gates and other road access points. The order cited the right of citizens to essential supplies,including food and fuel, which the government said the strike wasviolating. But by Wednesday morning many of the blockades were still in placewith traffic snarled along main motorways leading in and out of Rome,Venice, and Italy's borders with France and Switzerland, according tonews reports. Despite warnings that police would act against those disobeyingthe government order, many truck driver spent the night next to theirparked vehicles, in some cases lighting fires to keep warm. Unions representing the truck drivers condemned the governmentorder to end the strike which was called to protest high fuel pricesand long working hours. "There's an attempt to criminalize an entire category," saidFITA-CNA union representative, Antonio Migliaccio, in an interviewwith private broadcaster Radio Citta Futura on Wednesday morning. Lawyers representing the unions were "evaluating the legality ofthe government's order," Migliaccio said. Still, public opinion appeared overwhelmingly against the truckdrivers who began their strike on Monday vowing to stop work for fivedays. Television news reports have showed angry motorists stranded inqueues demanding action against those they said were holding thecountry hostage to their demands. According to news reports, by Tuesday evening some 60 per cent offilling stations in Italy had run out of petrol and diesel, suppliesof which are normally normally trucked in. Italy's main farming association Coldiretti warned that the strikewas preventing perishable goods such as fruit and vegetables fromreaching shop shelves, thus damaging consumers but also potentiallycausing massive losses to the agriculture sector.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/508581