US EditionItalian court rejects Sicily bridge project, dealing a blow to Meloni government
Italy’s Court of Auditors halted the €13.5 billion bridge citing financial and legal concerns, delaying a project aimed at boosting southern Italy’s economy.
- On Wednesday, Italy's Court of Auditors refused to approve government plans for a €13.5 billion bridge linking Sicily to the mainland and said it will publish detailed reasons within 30 days.
- Scrutiny of project paperwork and traffic forecasts revealed auditors at the Court of Auditors last month requested clarification about documentation and costs, questioning traffic forecasts and EU rules on public procurement and cost increases.
- The planned bridge would span nearly 3.7 kilometers with a 3.3-kilometer suspended span surpassing the Canakkale Bridge by 1,277 meters, targeting completion between 2032-2033 with preliminary work by the fall and construction next year.
- Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni immediately denounced the decision and Transport Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini called it a 'political choice,' while the council of ministers may declare an 'overriding public interest' or revise, appeal, or proceed at risk during government emergency meetings on Thursday.
- The idea dates to 1969 and was revived in 2023 by Meloni's administration, which also seeks judicial reforms and argued the bridge could boost NATO defense spending before U.S. warnings.
63 Articles
63 Articles
Italy's Court of Auditors has rejected a government plan to build the world's longest suspension bridge to connect the island of Sicily to the mainland. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was outraged and said the €13.5 billion project would go ahead.
The Italian Court of Auditors has rejected the €13.5 billion plan to build a bridge between Sicily and mainland Italy. This is a huge setback for the Meloni government. It is colloquially known as the Ponte di Messina (Bridge of Messina) because of the Sicilian city's central role in the project.
Italy's court of auditors on Wednesday rejected the government's plan to build the world's longest suspension bridge to connect the island of Sicily to the mainland. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is furious and insists the 13.5 billion euro project will go ahead.
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