Work is expected to start in the summer on a giant bridge linking the Italian mainland with the island of Sicily, Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini said on Monday, the 19th of May, vowing to prevent any attempt by criminal gangs to infiltrate the costly project, reports Reuters.
The project has been discussed for many years as a way to help the development of Italy’s poor south. But in 2013, when the company in charge of building it was shut down to save money and reduce public debt, it seemed to have been cancelled for good.
However, Infrastructure Minister Salvini made it a priority and the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has earmarked 13.5 billion euros for its construction.
“If we are, I won’t say smart, but rather lucky and consistent, work will start in the summer of 2025,” Salvini told a press conference.
Pietro Ciucci, CEO of the bridge company, said the project still needs the final green light from the national committee overseeing strategic infrastructure, and he hopes the request will be submitted by the end of June.
The bridge, to be built by a group led by the Italian company Webuild, will be about 3.6 km long, with a central span of 3.3 km, and will link Sicily with the southern region of Calabria.
THIS ISSUE HAS CAUSED GREAT DIVISIONS IN ITALY.
Critics worry that construction in the earthquake zone is risky, argue that it is too expensive, could damage the landscape and fear that the Cosa Nostra and Ndrangheta gangs based in the area could infiltrate the works to make a large profit.
However, many people support the project because they believe that a fast rail and road link, rather than using ferries to cross the Strait of Messina, would help develop the economy of the southern Italian region.
Salvini has dismissed safety concerns, saying the bridge would withstand the forces of nature, and argued that refusing to carry out projects in mafia areas would mean “the state capitulating” to criminals.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the country’s anti-mafia unit would check the companies involved, especially in areas such as waste disposal, which are more often targeted by criminal groups.
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