Italian Court Rejects Sicily Bridge Plan, Meloni Furious

Court Blocks Italy's Ambitious Messina Bridge Project

Italy's Court of Auditors has dealt a major blow to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government by rejecting the controversial €13.5 billion plan to build a bridge connecting Sicily to the Italian mainland. The decision, announced on Wednesday, represents a significant setback for one of Italy's most ambitious infrastructure projects that has been debated for decades.

Technical and Legal Concerns

The court, which oversees public spending and financial control, temporarily halted construction efforts and will release its detailed reasoning within 30 days. During hearings, court members raised serious questions about whether the tender process complied with European Union regulations and expressed doubts about the financial viability of the massive project. 'We must ensure that every euro of public money is spent according to established procedures and delivers real value,' one court official stated during the proceedings.

The proposed 3.7-kilometer suspension bridge across the Strait of Messina would have been the world's longest bridge, connecting Torre Faro in Sicily with Villa San Giovanni in Calabria. The project has been estimated to cost at least €13.5 billion, a dramatic increase from the original €3.8 billion estimate in 2005.

Political Fallout and Government Reaction

Prime Minister Meloni reacted with fury to the court's decision, calling it 'unacceptable interference' in government work and a 'political choice.' The bridge has been a flagship project for her right-wing administration, which had championed it as crucial for developing Italy's economically disadvantaged southern regions.

Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, the project's most vocal advocate, declared that the government would do everything possible to push the project forward. 'This decision inflicts serious damage to our country and its development prospects,' Salvini stated. 'We will use every legal avenue available to ensure this vital infrastructure project moves forward.'

Historical Context and Challenges

The idea of bridging the Strait of Messina dates back to ancient Roman times, with various proposals emerging over centuries. The current design has been approved and canceled multiple times since the 1990s, most recently being revived by Meloni's government in 2023 and receiving final approval in August 2025.

The project faces numerous challenges beyond financial concerns. The strait is seismically active, with the bridge needing to withstand earthquakes up to 7.8 magnitude - stronger than the devastating 1908 Messina earthquake that killed over 80,000 people. Environmental groups have also raised concerns about disruption to bird migration routes and the fragile marine ecosystem.

Additionally, the region is known for organized crime activity, with concerns about potential infiltration by mafia groups Cosa Nostra and 'Ndrangheta during construction.

What's Next for the Bridge Project?

While the court's decision doesn't definitively kill the project, it creates significant obstacles. The government could theoretically ignore the ruling by declaring the project of vital national interest, but this would likely lead to legal challenges that could reach the European Court of Justice, causing substantial delays.

The construction, planned to be carried out by an Italian-Spanish-Japanese consortium, was scheduled to begin by the end of 2025 with completion targeted for 2032. The court's intervention now puts this timeline in serious doubt.

As one local resident from Messina commented, 'We've heard promises about this bridge for generations. At this point, I'll believe it when I see the first foundations being poured.'

For more background on the Messina Strait Bridge project, visit Wikipedia.