Latest news with #NoBridge
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Italy forges on with world's largest suspension bridge
Italy hopes to begin constructing the world's largest suspension bridge connecting Sicily to the Italian mainland this summer amid widespread scepticism that it will ever be built. The 13.5-billion-euro ($15.3-billion) project would carry trains and six lanes of traffic, allowing cars to cross the Strait of Messina in 15 minutes. Giorgia Meloni's hard-right government hopes to boost the economy of the impoverished region, although critics say there are better ways to do this -- and many believe that after decades of false starts, the bridge will never actually happen. The choppy waters between the eastern tip of Sicily and the western edge of the region of Calabria are legendary as the place where monsters Scylla and Charybdis terrified sailors in Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey". These days the challenges are more prosaic, from winds of more than 100 kilometres an hour (62 mph) to the real risk of earthquakes in a region that lies across two tectonic plates. The government says the bridge will be at the cutting edge of engineering, with the section suspended between its two pillars stretching 3.3 kilometres, the longest in the world. But critics point to a long history of public works announced, financed and never completed in Italy, whether due to corruption or political instability, resulting in enormous losses for taxpayers. "The public does not trust this political class and these projects that become endless construction sites," said Luigi Storniolo, a member of protest group No Ponte (No Bridge). Infrastructure Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, one of the main champions of the project, insists it will be a game-changer for the local economy. "The bridge will be a catalyst for development," he said on a recent visit to Reggio di Calabria, the city where the bridge will begin. - 'A senseless project' - The government hopes to boost trade in Sicily, which currently suffers from an "insularity cost" of around 6.5 billion euros a year, according to regional authorities. Meloni's ministers are expected to give their final approval to the project -- which Rome will fund -- later this month, and Salvini insists construction will begin this summer. But work had already been announced for the summer of 2024, before being postponed -- a common theme in the history of the bridge, the idea of which dates back to the unification of Italy at the end of the 19th century. The first law for the project was passed in 1971. Since then, successive governments have either revived it or cancelled it. In 2012, the idea appeared to be definitely abandoned amid the eurozone debt crisis, only for Meloni's government, which took office in 2022, to return to it once again. Salvini has repeatedly stated that the bridge would create 120,000 jobs in Calabria and Sicily, which have the fourth and the 13th highest unemployment rates respectively in the EU for young people under 29. However, the left-wing CGIL trade union estimates around 2,300 workers a year will be hired during the project, and critics say the jobs created will be offset by long-term losses from the closure of ferries. - Mafia risk - The project has sparked local protests, with critics warning of the impact on a protected marine zone and an important bird migratory route. Storniolo told AFP it was a "senseless project" which used up valuable funds when "our regions already suffer from many problems... healthcare, schools, and infrastructure." The Italian Court of Auditors has also criticised the extent of the debt-laden Italian state's investment in this one project in its assessment of the 2024 budget. "They want to make an entire territory believe that its only hope is this bridge -- but then the bridge never arrives," protester Storniolo added. There is also the question of mafia infiltration. The attorney general of Messina recently warned of the risk that organised crime would benefit from the project, noting that "the power of the mafia is hidden... behind public contracts". The government has proposed placing companies relating to the project under control of an anti-mafia structure reporting to the interior ministry. But Italian President Sergio Mattarella blocked this, saying it should only be used for one-off events such as earthquakes or the Olympics. Salvini argued that the bridge can help tackle the mafia, saying: "You do not fight the mafia... with conferences and protests, but by creating jobs and giving hope to young people." str-gab/ar/ide/fg
France 24
2 days ago
- Business
- France 24
Italy forges on with world's largest suspension bridge
The 13.5-billion-euro ($15.3-billion) project would carry trains and six lanes of traffic, allowing cars to cross the Strait of Messina in 15 minutes. Giorgia Meloni's hard-right government hopes to boost the economy of the impoverished region, although critics say there are better ways to do this -- and many believe that after decades of false starts, the bridge will never actually happen. The choppy waters between the eastern tip of Sicily and the western edge of the region of Calabria are legendary as the place where monsters Scylla and Charybdis terrified sailors in Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey". These days the challenges are more prosaic, from winds of more than 100 kilometres an hour (62 mph) to the real risk of earthquakes in a region that lies across two tectonic plates. The government says the bridge will be at the cutting edge of engineering, with the section suspended between its two pillars stretching 3.3 kilometres, the longest in the world. But critics point to a long history of public works announced, financed and never completed in Italy, whether due to corruption or political instability, resulting in enormous losses for taxpayers. "The public does not trust this political class and these projects that become endless construction sites," said Luigi Storniolo, a member of protest group No Ponte (No Bridge). Infrastructure Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, one of the main champions of the project, insists it will be a game-changer for the local economy. "The bridge will be a catalyst for development," he said on a recent visit to Reggio di Calabria, the city where the bridge will begin. 'A senseless project' The government hopes to boost trade in Sicily, which currently suffers from an "insularity cost" of around 6.5 billion euros a year, according to regional authorities. Meloni's ministers are expected to give their final approval to the project -- which Rome will fund -- later this month, and Salvini insists construction will begin this summer. But work had already been announced for the summer of 2024, before being postponed -- a common theme in the history of the bridge, the idea of which dates back to the unification of Italy at the end of the 19th century. The first law for the project was passed in 1971. Since then, successive governments have either revived it or cancelled it. In 2012, the idea appeared to be definitely abandoned amid the eurozone debt crisis, only for Meloni's government, which took office in 2022, to return to it once again. Salvini has repeatedly stated that the bridge would create 120,000 jobs in Calabria and Sicily, which have the fourth and the 13th highest unemployment rates respectively in the EU for young people under 29. However, the left-wing CGIL trade union estimates around 2,300 workers a year will be hired during the project, and critics say the jobs created will be offset by long-term losses from the closure of ferries. Mafia risk The project has sparked local protests, with critics warning of the impact on a protected marine zone and an important bird migratory route. Storniolo told AFP it was a "senseless project" which used up valuable funds when "our regions already suffer from many problems... healthcare, schools, and infrastructure." The Italian Court of Auditors has also criticised the extent of the debt-laden Italian state's investment in this one project in its assessment of the 2024 budget. "They want to make an entire territory believe that its only hope is this bridge -- but then the bridge never arrives," protester Storniolo added. There is also the question of mafia infiltration. The attorney general of Messina recently warned of the risk that organised crime would benefit from the project, noting that "the power of the mafia is hidden... behind public contracts". The government has proposed placing companies relating to the project under control of an anti-mafia structure reporting to the interior ministry. But Italian President Sergio Mattarella blocked this, saying it should only be used for one-off events such as earthquakes or the Olympics. Salvini argued that the bridge can help tackle the mafia, saying: "You do not fight the mafia... with conferences and protests, but by creating jobs and giving hope to young people."
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Italy forges on with world's largest suspension bridge
The S$19.83 million project would carry trains and six lanes of traffic, allowing cars to cross the Strait of Messina in 15 minutes. PHOTO: AFP ROME - Italy hopes to begin constructing the world's largest suspension bridge connecting Sicily to the Italian mainland this summer, amid widespread scepticism that it will ever be built. The €13.5 billion (S$19.83 million) project would carry trains and six lanes of traffic, allowing cars to cross the Strait of Messina in 15 minutes. Ms Giorgia Meloni's hard-right government hopes to boost the economy of the impoverished region, although critics say there are better ways to do this – and many believe that after decades of false starts, the bridge will never actually happen. The choppy waters between the eastern tip of Sicily and the western edge of the region of Calabria are legendary as the place where monsters Scylla and Charybdis terrified sailors in Homer's epic poem 'The Odyssey'. These days the challenges are more prosaic, from winds of more than 100kmh to the real risk of earthquakes in a region that lies across two tectonic plates. The government says the bridge will be at the cutting edge of engineering, with the section suspended between its two pillars stretching 3.3km, the longest in the world. But critics point to a long history of public works announced, financed and never completed in Italy, whether due to corruption or political instability, resulting in enormous losses for taxpayers. 'The public does not trust this political class and these projects that become endless construction sites,' said Mr Luigi Storniolo, a member of protest group No Ponte (No Bridge). Infrastructure Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, one of the main champions of the project, insists it will be a game-changer for the local economy. 'The bridge will be a catalyst for development,' he said on a recent visit to Reggio di Calabria, the city where the bridge will begin. 'A senseless project' The government hopes to boost trade in Sicily, which currently suffers from an 'insularity cost' of around €6.5 billion a year, according to regional authorities. Ms Meloni's ministers are expected to give their final approval to the project – which Rome will fund – later in June, and Mr Salvini insists construction will begin this summer. But work had already been announced for the summer of 2024, before being postponed – a common theme in the history of the bridge, the idea of which dates back to the unification of Italy at the end of the 19th century. The first law for the project was passed in 1971. Since then, successive governments have either revived it or cancelled it. In 2012, the idea appeared to be definitely abandoned amid the eurozone debt crisis, only for Ms Meloni's government, which took office in 2022, to return to it once again. Mr Salvini has repeatedly stated that the bridge would create 120,000 jobs in Calabria and Sicily, which have the fourth and the 13th highest unemployment rates respectively in the EU for young people under 29. However, the left-wing CGIL trade union estimates around 2,300 workers a year will be hired during the project, and critics say the jobs created will be offset by long-term losses from the closure of ferries. Mafia risk The project has sparked local protests, with critics warning of the impact on a protected marine zone and an important bird migratory route. Mr Storniolo told AFP it was a 'senseless project' which used up valuable funds when 'our regions already suffer from many problems... healthcare, schools, and infrastructure.' The Italian Court of Auditors has also criticised the extent of the debt-laden Italian state's investment in this one project in its assessment of the 2024 budget. 'They want to make an entire territory believe that its only hope is this bridge – but then the bridge never arrives,' protester Mr Storniolo added. There is also the question of mafia infiltration. The attorney-general of Messina recently warned of the risk that organised crime would benefit from the project, noting that 'the power of the mafia is hidden... behind public contracts'. The government has proposed placing companies relating to the project under control of an anti-mafia structure reporting to the interior ministry. But Italian President Sergio Mattarella blocked this, saying it should only be used for one-off events such as earthquakes or the Olympics. Mr Salvini argued that the bridge can help tackle the mafia, saying: 'You do not fight the mafia... with conferences and protests, but by creating jobs and giving hope to young people.' AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Italy forges on with world's largest suspension bridge
Italy forges on with world's largest suspension bridge (Image: AP) Italy hopes to begin constructing the world's largest suspension bridge connecting Sicily to the Italian mainland this summer amid widespread scepticism that it will ever be built. The 13.5-billion-euro ($15.3-billion) project would carry trains and six lanes of traffic, allowing cars to cross the Strait of Messina in 15 minutes. Giorgia Meloni's hard-right government hopes to boost the economy of the impoverished region, although critics say there are better ways to do this -- and many believe that after decades of false starts, the bridge will never actually happen. The choppy waters between the eastern tip of Sicily and the western edge of the region of Calabria are legendary as the place where monsters Scylla and Charybdis terrified sailors in Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey". These days the challenges are more prosaic, from winds of more than 100 kilometres an hour (62 mph) to the real risk of earthquakes in a region that lies across two tectonic plates. The government says the bridge will be at the cutting edge of engineering, with the section suspended between its two pillars stretching 3.3 kilometres, the longest in the world. But critics point to a long history of public works announced, financed and never completed in Italy, whether due to corruption or political instability, resulting in enormous losses for taxpayers. "The public does not trust this political class and these projects that become endless construction sites," said Luigi Storniolo, a member of protest group No Ponte (No Bridge). Infrastructure Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, one of the main champions of the project, insists it will be a game-changer for the local economy. "The bridge will be a catalyst for development," he said on a recent visit to Reggio di Calabria, the city where the bridge will begin. 'A senseless project' The government hopes to boost trade in Sicily, which currently suffers from an "insularity cost" of around 6.5 billion euros a year, according to regional authorities. Meloni's ministers are expected to give their final approval to the project -- which Rome will fund -- later this month, and Salvini insists construction will begin this summer. But work had already been announced for the summer of 2024, before being postponed -- a common theme in the history of the bridge, the idea of which dates back to the unification of Italy at the end of the 19th century. The first law for the project was passed in 1971. Since then, successive governments have either revived it or cancelled it. In 2012, the idea appeared to be definitely abandoned amid the eurozone debt crisis, only for Meloni's government, which took office in 2022, to return to it once again. Salvini has repeatedly stated that the bridge would create 120,000 jobs in Calabria and Sicily, which have the fourth and the 13th highest unemployment rates respectively in the EU for young people under 29. However, the left-wing CGIL trade union estimates around 2,300 workers a year will be hired during the project, and critics say the jobs created will be offset by long-term losses from the closure of ferries. Mafia risk The project has sparked local protests, with critics warning of the impact on a protected marine zone and an important bird migratory route. Storniolo told AFP it was a "senseless project" which used up valuable funds when "our regions already suffer from many problems... healthcare, schools, and infrastructure." The Italian Court of Auditors has also criticised the extent of the debt-laden Italian state's investment in this one project in its assessment of the 2024 budget. "They want to make an entire territory believe that its only hope is this bridge -- but then the bridge never arrives," protester Storniolo added. There is also the question of mafia infiltration. The attorney general of Messina recently warned of the risk that organised crime would benefit from the project, noting that "the power of the mafia is hidden... behind public contracts". The government has proposed placing companies relating to the project under control of an anti-mafia structure reporting to the interior ministry. But Italian President Sergio Mattarella blocked this, saying it should only be used for one-off events such as earthquakes or the Olympics. Salvini argued that the bridge can help tackle the mafia, saying: "You do not fight the mafia... with conferences and protests, but by creating jobs and giving hope to young people."
Euronews
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Bridge to Sicily: a strategic project for Italy and Europe or a waste of resources?
Construction of the bridge across the Strait of Messina will start this year, assures the Italian government. This mammoth undertaking that aims to link the island of Sicily to the region of Calabria is one of the most expensive and controversial infrastructure projects worldwide. ADVERTISEMENT Talks of building a bridge across the Strait of Messina date back to Roman times. Yet, the bridge over the Strait has never gone beyond the planning stage. Too expensive or technically too complex, it's been part of Italian governments' political agendas since the 60s. Now, the far-right Minister of Infrastructure Matteo Salvini has set his sights on it. With its 3,300-metre central span, the bridge would be the longest suspension bridge in the world. It will also be an important piece of the European Union's Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor, an artery that will link Northern and Southern Europe, to facilitate the movement of people and goods. According to the latest estimate, it would cost a staggering €13.5 billion. The European Union has allocated some €25 million, covering only half of the design costs for the rail infrastructure. Critics say that the area where the bridge is to be built is known for high seismic activity, raising safety concerns. The project has been met with strong resistance from locals who say national and European funds should be put to better use, to finance basic services in Italy's disadvantaged south. In Sicily, the citizens' committee 'No Bridge' points out that the project does not have all the necessary hydrological, seismic and landscape surveys. It slams the infrastructure's public utility. 'We have just spent a summer without tap water, says activist Gino Sturniolo. Yet, just a portion of the money intended for the bridge would be enough to fix the entire water supply system. Not to mention healthcare, the issue of schools, housing, and seismic safety.' In Calabria, the founder of a committee of residents who will be expropriated lives where a pylon is to be erected, metres away from a seismic fault. 'As ordinary people, who still do their own research, explains Rossella Bulsei, we're wondering why experts are approving each new version of the project with new conditions and recommendations. We are worried that the structure is not sufficiently safe.' In Sicily, almost half of the trains still run on diesel, while in Calabria, high-speed trains might never arrive. So, is the controversial bridge project between Sicily and Calabria really a strategic piece of infrastructure for Europe and Italy? 'The bridge should be a strategic hub for the country, explains Adriano Giannola, President of the Association for the Development of the Industry in Southern Italy. Sicily is the physical centre of the Mediterranean. Ships coming out of the Suez Canal pass Sicilian ports, but they don't stop there, they go all the way to Rotterdam. If we want to change this, the bridge is one of the keys.' Giannola doesn't think the current project for the bridge is the best solution, the safest or the cheapest. Nevertheless, he is convinced that the bridge is a necessity. Concerning the controversy around the urgency in guaranteeing basic services in Southern regions, he says the problem is how the Italian government has managed its resources so far: 'The Italian law establishes that 40% of state infrastructure spending should be allocated to the South. Every year, up to €60 billion are missing. This should be the real battle, not building the bridge,' concludes Giannola. Experts still disagree on technical aspects, benefits, costs and even on the procedures followed by the government. Differences that are fuelling residents' resentment and the feeling they are being asked to make a useless sacrifice.
