The 14.6 billion project obtains the ok of the interministerial committee, but between technical observations, European constraints and a rain of appeals the battle is only at the beginning. Salvini: “Cantieri in September”
After decades of waiting, discussions and controversies, the bridge over the Strait of Messina seems ready to take off. The approval of the final project by the Interministerial Committee for economic programming and sustainable development (Cipess) marks a decisive turning point for an infrastructure that has always divided Italy. Matteo Salvini, vice premier and minister of infrastructure, is at the forefront to give the kick -off to the construction sites already in September, accompanied by the satisfaction of the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The work, defined as the longest -lived suspended bridge in the world, promises to combine south with Italy and Europe, with large -scale economic and employment benefits.
An ancient project that returns to the protagonist
The bridge over the Strait is not new in recent years: the first studies date back to the late sixties, and its history is intertwined with that of the ancient Romans who imagined connections between the two banks. Today, the project restarts with an unprecedented political and technical push. It will be 3.3 kilometers of single span, capable of resisting earthquakes of magnitude 6.9, and 40 kilometers of road and railway fittings to connect the large infrastructure to existing networks.
The challenge is enormous, as well as the stakes. In 2005, the estimated cost was 3.88 billion euros; Today the figure has risen to 14.6 billion. An increase that has triggered criticism, but that the government claims to be justified by the technological update and the greater complexity of the work.
Between construction sites and bureaucracy: the game has just begun
The Cipess has approved a project that now must receive the green light from the Court of Auditors. Only then can you kick off the construction sites, scheduled for Salvini between September and October with the start of works and expropriations, which will be more expensive than those made for the high speed in other areas of the country.
Behind the apparent acceleration, however, there is still a path of obstacles. The environmental committees and citizens of the “instead of the bridge” movement have already announced a rain of appeals, underlining that there is no definitive go -ahead and that the legal battle has just begun.
In particular, the 68 technical observations and the 62 environmental prescriptions, the result of a careful analysis by the via/Vas commission, remain an unsolved node. To try to overcome the community constraints that have slowed down the work so far, a European special procedure has been started, but associations such as Greenpeace, Legambiente, Lipu and WWF have submitted a complaint to the EU asking for the opening of an infringement procedure.
“Cariddi Casa”: garrison and resistance in Messina
The Capo Peloro Committee, active in the “Cariddi” garrison in Torrefaro, represents the heart of the local resistance against the project. In a note, they reiterate that the approval is not definitive and denounce “buffalo” and propaganda around the work. They underline how the opinion of the European Commission on respect for the habitat directive is still open, and promise to carry on the struggle in all national and European offices.
Expected benefits: numbers that weigh
For its part, the government presents a picture of opportunities and advantages that can hardly be ignored. According to the Undersecretary with delegation to Cipess, Alessandro Morelli, the bridge can generate a contribution to national GDP equal to 23.1 billion euros, with 36,700 stable jobs and 10.3 billion of tax revenues for the State, already in the construction phase. At full speed, the current net economic value will be positive for 1.8 billion thanks to lower times and transport costs, greater logistical efficiency, the increase in tourism and the reduction of emissions.
The project also includes a basic rate for cars of less than 10 euros, with discounts for those who often cross the bridge. A figure “significantly lower than the current crossing costs”, reads a note from the Strait Company of Messina.
Between controversy and criticism: the debate remains on
There is no shortage of political and technical criticisms. Angelo Bonelli of Europa Verde defines the project “The greatest gift to private individuals in the history of the Republic”, denouncing the waste of public resources for a work that considers useless. Anthony Barbagallo, Pd group leader in the transport commission, speaks of political “fanfare” and an intervention destined to remain in the annals as one of the worst errors in Italian economic management.
For their part, Meloni and Salvini insist on the strategic importance of the work: “An investment in the present and on the future”, a “sensible” challenge that will give work and a concrete legacy to future generations, a “more connected, more competitive, more cohesive Italy.
