Morelli: "Italians want the Strait of Messina Bridge. The protests must not become as violent as the No TAV protests."
Alessandro Morelli
"Yesterday's demonstration shows that opposition to the bridge is political and ideological and fails to address the merits. Those protesting don't justify their claims, they talk about environmental devastation, but what are we talking about? What kind of devastation are we talking about?" Alessandro Morelli, Undersecretary of State for CIPESS , interviewed by Affaritaliani , commented on yesterday's demonstration in Messina against the Strait Bridge. "It's clear that such important infrastructure has an impact, but we're in 2025, and these impacts are adequately offset with analysis and research. And then, with facts, and I'm talking about environmental impacts. From a social perspective, the divide between two visions of the country is evident: on the one hand, those who want welfare and a basic income, and on the other, those who have a vision of growth and freedom for families and businesses ."
"These arguments are confirmed by an extremely simple reasoning. We won the 2022 political elections with the Strait of Messina Bridge in our government program. All the parties that make up the center-right majority have this objective. Italians and also Sicilians and Calabrians, given that the two governors won the regional elections with this project among their priorities, want the Bridge . And this is the best survey and the best evaluation that can be made. It is clear that Italian citizens and our fellow Sicilian and Calabrian citizens want the Bridge and we are building it", underlines the League representative.
Morelli then added: "I hope this ideological, party, and union opposition remains within the confines of peaceful, democratic demonstrations and protests in the streets, and that it doesn't become violent, as in the case of the No Tav movement , where there are extremist fringes that feed off the left-wing influence of social centers and the like. The risk would be to ravage an organization that certainly doesn't need it. With the bridge, we want to bring a subway to Messina, not violent demonstrations ."
Alessandro Morelli
The Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council then recalled the project's numbers: " €23.1 billion in contribution to the national GDP, with 36,700 stable jobs and €10.3 billion in tax revenue for the state thanks to the Messina Strait Bridge, already in the construction phase of the project. Once fully operational, the Net Present Economic Value will be positive by €1.8 billion, thanks to reduced transport times and costs, greater logistical efficiency, increased tourist flows, and reduced polluting emissions."
"The Government," Morelli continued, "is taking a historic step for Italy's economic development. This is not just a strategic infrastructure project for Southern Italy, but a nationwide investment capable of generating economic and social benefits for the entire country. The project, anticipated for over half a century, will be entirely financed with already available public funds, for a total value of €13.532 billion . The bridge project is part of a broader infrastructure revitalization program promoted by the Ministry of Transport, with investments in Sicily and Calabria worth €70 billion through 2032."
“The Strait of Messina Bridge will be a strategic legacy for future generations: it will strengthen the country's competitiveness, bring its regions closer together, multiply economic and employment opportunities, and position Italy at the center of the major European and Mediterranean routes ,” concludes Undersecretary Morelli.
Affari Italiani
