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Italy’s Court of Auditors on Wednesday rejected a major government project and refused to sign off on plans to build a massive bridge at a cost of 13.5 billion euros. sicily On the mainland, the right-wing government led by Premier Giorgia Meloni was dealt a blow.
The court – which has a dual role of financial control and jurisdiction over public accounting – issued its decision in a brief statement on Wednesday evening, and said it would publish its reasons within 30 days.
Meloni immediately criticized the decision, calling it an “intolerable intrusion” by magistrates and promised that the government would move ahead with the project.
Transport Minister and Deputy Prime Minister matteo salvini – the main sponsor of the Strait of Messina Bridge project – condemned the decision, calling it “a political decision, not a technical decision”, and vowed to pursue all possible means to move the plan forward.
The Court of Auditors’ decision certainly does not block the bridge project, but it could significantly delay its final approval, potentially forcing the government to seek a new vote to overrule the court’s objections.
The Strait of Messina Bridge has been approved and canceled several times since then Italian The government first invited proposals in 1969. Meloni’s administration revived the plan in 2023, and this ambitious project – first envisioned by Romans – marks the furthest stage yet.
The project has been widely debated over its scale, earthquake hazards, environmental impact and fears of mafia interference.
Preliminary work was expected to begin by the fall, with construction scheduled to begin next year. Despite bureaucratic delays, the bridge was expected to be completed between 2032–2033 as per government plans.
The length of the Strait of Messina Bridge will be approximately 3.7 kilometers (2.2 mi), with its suspended span reaching 3.3 kilometers (over 2 mi), exceeding Turkey’s Çanakkale Bridge, currently the longest, at 1,277 meters (4,189 ft).