The ceremony marking the first anniversary of the Morandi-bridge collapse in Genoa started on Wednesday with the names of the 43 victims being read out.
The archbishop of Genoa, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, is presiding over a Mass in the area of the disaster.
President Sergio Mattarella, Premier Giuseppe Conte and Deputy Premiers Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini are among the officials taking part in the ceremony. Genoa churches will ring their bells and the ships in the port will sound their sirens while the rest of the city observes a minute of silence at 11:36, the time when the bridge collapsed a year ago.
Mattarella embraced many of the relatives of the victims before Wednesday's ceremony. Some victims' families are not taking part, having described it as a parade for politicians. A delegation from highways company Autostrade per l'Italia and its parent group, Atlantia, left the ceremony after the relatives of the victims complained about them being there. A representative for the committee of the families of victims on Tuesday called for the implementation of pledge made by members of the government for the revocation of Autostrade per l'Italia's concessions. The highways company is accused of not carrying out the checks and maintenance work that could have prevented the disaster.
Demolition of the remainder of the Morandi Bridge was completed Monday ahead of the construction of a new bridge designed by starchitect Renzo Piano, a Genoa native. The project is expected to be ready next year.
Genoa Mayor Marco Bucci, who is also the commissioner for the new viaduct, said work on the project was not being halted even on the anniversary.
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