The Messina Strait bridge company's
general assembly on Tuesday named Pietro Ciucci as managing
director and Giuseppe Recchi as president.
The board is made up of Eleonora Mariani, Ida Nicotra and
Giacomo Francesco Saccomanno.
Transport Minister Matteo Salvini said "this is a step of
fundamental importance, to realise after decades a work that
will be extraordinary at a world level. The new company is a
mixture of experience, novelty and competence."
A decree on building the world's longest suspension bridge
across the Messina Strait between Sicily and Calabria became law
on May 24 as the Senate gave it final approval by 103 votes to
49 with three abstentions.
Salvini, who says the bridge should become operational by 2032
and is the project's main sponsor, was exultant.
The bridge will be "the pride of Italians in the world,"
the Deputy Premier, Transport and Infrastructure Minister had
told the Senate as it discussed the decree setting up the
long-awaited and often put off scheme.
Stressing that the ambitious project would create 100,000 jobs
and would "give meaning to all the other investments", Salvini
said that on this and other issues, "the Italians have chosen a
can-do government".
For those still doubting whether it can finally be achieved
after years of on-off-on plans, the rightwing League party
leader referred his colleagues to President Sergio Mattarella,
saying "for doubts and remarks, turn to (Mattarella) who has all
the elements of guarantee and superiority and who can decide
what can be done and what cannot be done".
The project has been considered by many previous governments but
has never moved beyond the planning stage due to environmental,
seismic and mafia infiltration concerns and the massive price
tag.
Premier Giorgia Meloni's government, however, approved the
decree paving the way for construction in March.
Transport and Infrastructure Undersecretary Edoardo Rixi has
said that the government estimates that the bridge will cost
13.5 billion euros.
He told a joint session of the Lower House's transport and
environment committees that this was up from a forecast of 8.5
billion in 2011 regarding the same project.
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