The president of Italy's
northern Piedmont region, Sergio Chiamparino, on Friday lashed
out at delays in starting the project to build a high-speed rail
link between Turin and Lyon.
"The fact that the commission for the cost-benefit analysis
has not yet been sworn in is a sign that the government wants to
delay the work. They tell us lies to waste time, hoping that
something happens to stop the work. Some two and a half billion
euros immediately and another two and a half million by the end
of 2019 are at stake. If the contracts do not start being
implemented, there is a risk that Europe will want the money
back. Time is not irrelevant."
Industry Minister and Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio last week
that his anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) was not
"against high-speed projects per se: we are against a waste of
money that won't allow us to invest where it is needed".
He said "for us, the TAV is not a priority project at the
moment".
"We don't need it: it was planned 30 years ago when they
wasted money".
The M5S's government partner, the rightwing populist League
party led by Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo
Salvini, is in favour of the TAV project going ahead.
There are strong movements for and against the TAV in
Piedmont.
Turin's M5S-controlled council last week voted to stop the
project pending a cost/benefit analysis, which is also Di Maio's
position.
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