Italy’s top audit court blocks Meloni’s Sicily bridge project
The long-debated bridge project is once again in limbo after the court refused to give its final approval
Italy’s Court of Auditors has refused to approve the government’s flagship plan to build a bridge linking Sicily to the mainland, in a blow to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini, who have long championed the project.
In a closed session on Tuesday, the court’s main legal body refused to issue the formal approval that major public investment plans must obtain before moving forward. The decision came after the ministerial committee overseeing such plans approved the final design of the €13.5 billion Strait of Messina Bridge in August.
The court’s detailed reasoning will be published within 30 days, but reports suggest auditors questioned the reliability of traffic forecasts and the project’s compliance with EU environmental and seismic regulations. They are also examining whether EU rules prohibit cost increases of more than 50% compared to the original estimate.
From pipe dream to NATO pitch: Meloni tries to rescue long-awaited bridge to Sicily
ROME – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is rebranding the long-promised €13 billion Strait of…
4 minutes
Despite the setback, the government still has options. Under Italian law, when the court refuses to register a government measure, the council of ministers can override the decision by declaring the project of “overriding public interest.” In that case, the measure is approved “with reservation”, gaining legal effect, though at the government’s political responsibility.
Meloni denounced on Wednesday the court’s move as “yet another act of judicial invasion into government prerogatives,” while Salvini called it “a political choice and a serious blow to the country.” Opposition parties, meanwhile, hailed the ruling as a “victory for the rule of law.”
The infrastructure ministry told Euractiv that emergency meetings are already taking place on Thursday. Salvini is meeting with engineers and officials, as well as Meloni, and will chair a high-level discussion on how to keep the project on track.
Until the court publishes its reasoning, all preparatory work — including land expropriations and site openings — remains suspended, leaving the long-debated bridge once again in limbo.
