Paris - Driving into and out of many French cities was expected to be very difficult Monday as professional lorry drivers began carrying out protest demonstrations to demand government aid to help them pay for the rising cost of petrol.

Motorways in and out of Paris were expected to be especially hard- hit as unions representing many lorry drivers have said measures taken by Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau have been inadequate.

The drivers are demanding a freeze on motorway tolls and a suspension of plans to levy taxes on lorries, among other measures.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has made the fight against high oil prices a priority of his mandate as acting president of the European Union when France assumes the rotating six-month EU presidency on Tuesday. (dpa)