’They must not touch the Strait’: Sicily bridge opponents vow to put up a fight By Angelo Amante MESSINA, Italy (Reuters) -Italy’s decision to approve the construction between Sicily and the mainland of what would be the world’s longest single-span bridge has set the stage for a legal battle that could further delay a project first conceived by the ancient Romans. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government gave its final approval for the bridge over the Strait of Messina on Wednesday, earmarking 13.5 billion euros ($15.8 billion) for a project that has been under discussion for more than 50 years. "They could offer me three times the value of my house, but that doesn’t matter to me. What matters is the landscape. They must not touch the Strait of Messina," said Mariolina De Francesco, a 75-year-old living in the Sicilian city of Messina. More than 440 properties will have to be expropriated on the Sicilian side and in the Calabria region on the mainland to make way for the 3.7-km (2.3-mile) bridge and connecting roads and railways. "Our lawyers will take action, and we will stop them. That’s guaranteed," said De Francesco, whose house lies near the site of one of the bridge’s planned 399-metre-tall land towers. Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini said preliminary works should start in September-October, and has promised generous compensation to those required to surrender their property. The bridge is due for completion in 2032. The Messina Strait Company overseeing the project is bracing for a big legal fight. "(Legal appeals) certainly keep me busy because they waste a lot of our time," its CEO Pietro Ciucci told La Stampa newspaper. Environmental groups this week filed a complaint with the European Union, flagging serious risks for the local ecosystem. The Torre Faro district, on the northern edge of Messina, includes a nature reserve surrounding two ponds, and Calabria appears within arm’s reach when strolling along the seafront. SEISMIC RISK Committees of ’No Bridge’ residents say the area’s environmental value and seismic risk make it unsuitable for the infrastructure. They also fear the works will drag on, making the neighbourhood unliveable because of the noise. The Messina Strait Company says the bridge will be designed to withstand very strong earthquakes and will not be placed on active fault lines. It has also promised mitigation measures to safeguard habitats and protected species. Contractual obligations will ensure that the timing and effects of construction activity, including noise, will be kept under strict control, the company added. Supporters of the project - awarded to the Eurolink consortium led by Italy’s Webuild - say it will bolster the economy of an underdeveloped region. "The bridge could create jobs for young people, and maybe it could also change something in Sicily, where we always like to keep everything as it is," said 71-year-old Giuseppe Caruso, sitting on his bike near the beach. Authorities have pledged strong safeguards against any mafia involvement. The two regions are home to the Cosa Nostra and ’Ndrangheta mafia organizations, which have a long history of infiltrating lucrative public works projects. The government is also considering whether to categorise investment in the bridge as defence spending, which would help Italy meet new NATO targets to boost military budgets. PUBLIC INTEREST House expropriations are set to proceed gradually, in line with construction progress. Activists and lawyers estimate some 1,000 people could lose their homes, and say the increased costs since the project was first awarded may breach European Union public procurement laws. "We are a country governed by the rule of law within the EU, so even the government must respect the rules," said Antonio Saitta, a lawyer representing some Messina residents. The Messina Strait Company said the rise in costs, from 8.5 billion euros in 2011 - before the project was blocked - to the current 13.5 billion euros, was due to the sharp increase in construction material prices. Saitta said the main way of blocking the bridge was to file an appeal with an administrative court against the government’s decision by the end of October. Gianluca Maria Esposito, an administrative law professor at Sapienza University of Rome, said the public interest prevails over the private in such cases and that blocking the project would be a daunting challenge. ($1 = 0.8564 euros) Don't miss out on the next big opportunity! Stay ahead of the curve with ProPicks – 6 model portfolios fueled by AI stock picks with a stellar performance this year.. 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Italy approves plans for world’s longest suspension bridge After decades of planning and much controversy, Italy’s government has finally approved the construction of a $15.6bn bridge connecting Sicily to the mainland.#Italy #Sicilybridge #StraitofMessinaBridge

#News Italy approves plans for world’s longest suspension bridge: After decades of planning and much controversy, Italy’s government has finally approved the construction of a $15.6bn bridge connecting Sicily to the mainland.#Italy #Sicilybridge #StraitofMessinaBridge

Italy to give final go-ahead for landmark Sicily bridge project By Angelo Amante ROME (Reuters) -Italy’s government was set on Wednesday to give the final approval to the multi-billion-euro project to build a bridge connecting Sicily to the mainland, paving the way for works to begin after decades of discussions. Construction for the 3.6-km (2.2-miles) bridge, projected to be one of the longest in the world, has been talked about since the late 1960s to help develop the impoverished south of Italy. The right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made it a priority and has set aside 13.5 billion euros ($15.63 billion) over the next 10 years for the bridge and surrounding facilities. The Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning and Sustainable Development (CIPESS) is due to meet at 1230 pm (1030 GMT). Matteo Salvini, the leader of the ruling League Party and Infrastructure Minister, has announced that he will hold a press conference afterwards, before travelling to the site of the bridge’s construction. The Strait of Messina Bridge Project was awarded to the Eurolink consortium following an international tender. Italy’s largest construction company Webuild leads the consortium, which also has Spanish group Sacyr and Japanese group IHI as its members. According to the Messina Strait Company overseeing the project, the government committee approval would allow the start of preliminary works, including archaeological and geological surveys. Land expropriations will also be authorised. Last week, Salvini told reporters that validation by the national audit court would be required before the CIPESS resolution could take effect. A source close to the matter said this could take a few weeks. The bridge has drawn fierce criticism from those who question the wisdom of building it in an earthquake zone and those who say it would be a waste of money and harmful to the landscape, amid fears that the Cosa Nostra and ’Ndrangheta criminal gangs based in the area could infiltrate the works to reap huge profits. Some citizens’ groups are campaigning against the bridge, calling it unnecessary, and environmental associations this week filed a complaint with the European Union, flagging serious environmental damage risks. Yet, the bridge also has strong support from those who believe a fast rail and road connection as an alternative to the current ferry crossing would provide a much-needed boost to Sicily and the rest of Italy’s poorer southern regions. Webuild has active construction projects worldwide including Saudi Arabia’s NEOM gigaproject. Sacyr participated in the Panama Canal expansion, and IHI has been involved in the Akashi suspension bridge in Japan and the Osman Gazi suspension bridge in Turkey. Webuild has estimated that the construction could create more than 100,000 jobs. According to the Messina Strait Company, the bridge will be completed in 2032. ($1 = 0.8639 euros) Don't miss out on the next big opportunity! Stay ahead of the curve with ProPicks – 6 model portfolios fueled by AI stock picks with a stellar performance this year.. In 2024 alone, ProPicks' AI identified 2 stocks that surged over 150%, 4 additional stocks that leaped over 30%, and 3 more that climbed over 25%. That's an impressive track record. With portfolios tailored for Dow stocks, S&P stocks, Tech Stocks, and Mid Cap stocks, you can explore various wealth-building strategies. So if WBD is on your watchlist, it could be very wise to know whether or not it made the ProPicks lists.

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