“Bridge over the Strait of Messina – effects on the territory and employment”. Today a new session of the municipal commission will have at the center of the debate the impact, both economic and environmental and social, of the construction of the most discussed work of the last decades. The top of the CISL union of Messina will participate in the session with Antonino AlibrandiSecretary General Cisl Messina, Antonino BottaSecretary General Filca Cisl Messina Giuseppe Crisafulli and Letterio D’Amicoboth general secretaries Fim Cisl Messina, union representatives will bring their position on the project, focusing attention on the employment repercussions provided for the Messina and Calabrian area, and on the role that local businesses and workers will have in this large infrastructure work.
Meanwhile The association “instead of the bridge – citizens for the sustainable development of the Strait area” presented a formal warning at the Cipess (Interministerial Committee for economic programming and sustainable development), contesting the procedure in progress for the approval of the definitive project of the bridge.
According to the warning, The project has not exceeded an appropriate level environmental impact assessment, as required by the European Union Habitat Directive.
Therefore, any authorization should only take place “in derogation”, a condition that is considered not practicable in the light of the following critical issues highlighted:
-ignorant ignorant: alternative design solutions would exist, such as a three -span bridge located differently, considered better under the technical, environmental and economic profiles by a technical working group in 2021, but ignored by the proposer.
-unfounded Iropes, the “imperative reasons of pre -eminent public interest” on which the project is based are based on non -verifiable documents and un ships. In particular, the alleged military value of the work is also denied.
-Irregular increase in costs: according to the association, the costs of the bridge have already exceeded +50% without a new tender having been launched, thus contravening the European contracts on contracts. The document also underlines that the last evaluation of the Via-Vas Commission is incomplete and refers to the European Commission the responsibility to express itself on the proposed environmental compensation measures. It will therefore not be sufficient for the government to “inform” Brussels: a “upon binding opinion” will be needed, as required by European legislation.
The “instead of the bridge” association concludes by asking the Cipess to exercise its institutional responsibilities, warning that a possible approval of the project, in current conditions, would expose the legal liability committee to the competent offices. With this critical and articulated picture, the Ponte Commission of tomorrow is configured as a key moment to clarify the developments of the project and its real effects for the territory and the local population. The work remains at the center of an intense comparison between development, environmental protection and administrative legality needs.