Italy’s Court of Auditors Rejects Plan for €13.5 Billion Messina Bridge

Overview

• The Court of Auditors refused to sign off on the project, temporarily halting the 3.7-kilometer crossing and promising written reasons within 30 days.
• Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the decision an overreach by magistrates and said the government will proceed.
• Deputy Prime Minister and infrastructure minister Matteo Salvini, the project’s chief sponsor, labeled the ruling political and vowed to pursue every route to start work.
• The refusal does not kill the plan but can significantly delay final approval, potentially forcing a revised proposal, an appeal, or even a new parliamentary vote.
• The €13.5 billion bridge, pitched as one of the world’s longest suspension spans, faces long-standing concerns over seismic risk, environmental impact and corruption, even as contractor WeBuild ramped up hiring ahead of a start that had already slipped.