The bridge over the Strait of Messina returns to being an affair
suspended on a span that oscillates between unscrupulous and predatory
policies on the one hand, and economic interests benefiting the few on
the other. In the middle, the acquiescence of many citizens, often
deprived of awareness and unaware of what really happens between the
secret rooms of power. In this sense, there is no doubt about how much
reasonableness, common sense and above all good politics, with a few
exceptions, on this topic have always abandoned this splendid corner of
the world, the Strait of Messina.
A few days ago, the shock that almost like an "earthquake", an event
tragically known in these parts, disturbed the inhabitants: between the
shores of Sicily and Calabria the infamous project of the mega stable
crossing project rematerialized Strict. Which this time does not go
unnoticed, since the Notice of initiation of the procedure aimed at
affixing the expropriation restriction has in fact shaken around 450
families, who would be deprived of homes and properties in general, but
above all, of their most loved ones. rooted and deep. Because the
"devastation" that would result would affect the history and dignity of
entire communities. To the surprise of many, the bridge does not only
pass over the heads of the inhabitants of Messina and Villa San
Giovanni, but rather over 29 municipalities, between Sicily and
Calabria. "Only" 14, however, are those interested in expropriations.
But let's go in order.
The contract with Eurolink, an association of general contractor
companies that had been awarded the design and construction of the work,
expired in 2013. As a consequence, Stretto di Messina Spa, a state
concessionaire created ad hoc in 1981, owned by Anas , RFI, Calabria
Region and Sicilian Region, no longer had any reason to exist. So,
having burned over 300 million euros over the years, in the absence of
an additional act that would guarantee the sustainability of the
economic and financial plan for the construction of the infamous work,
the curtain had finally fallen on the bridge affair. The Monti
Government had decided this, with the administration and liquidation of
the "Stretto" company. But Eurolink and the American Parsons, consultant
on the project, have initiated legal proceedings with the concessionaire
company, and therefore against the State, at the Civil Court of Rome. At
stake are substantial amounts of indemnities and penalties which, based
on certain calculations, and above all claims, for Eurolink alone would
have exceeded 700 million euros. The decision of the Government of the
time, which went down in history for its particular affection for the
spending review, effectively stifled the ambitions of Berlusconi & Co.,
who were counting on the "objective law" to rout any opposition, whether
technical-bureaucratic or political. The work, even before it was born,
collapsed, both under the blows of the opposition from below led by the
No bridge movements on the banks of the Strait, and under the choices of
a government aware of the absence of both public and private capital,
necessary for the construction and management of the infrastructure.
Case closed? Not really, because on the bridge the attitude of politics,
regardless of the parties, is clear: those in government have always
supported the work, those in opposition have always declared themselves
against it. First of all, Minister Salvini and his party: from no to
yes. Conversely, there are parties that have gone from yes to no, like
the Democratic Party. It is clear that for those who govern the
operation it is too attractive to stay out of it, regardless. Thus,
while everything seemed to be in jeopardy, with the ongoing dispute
which saw the State winning in first instance over the general
contractor, the Meloni Government, in this case the Minister of
Infrastructure Salvini, put in place a measure of rare incorrectness and
illegitimacy: the Decree -Law 31 March 2023 n. 35, to which, as such,
among other things, the essential requirements of necessity and urgency
are attributed. The most controversial public work in Italian history,
which failed before it was born, since 1981, has been treated in the
same way as an accidental and unpredictable event. The decree, not
before having suffered authoritative, burning attacks and criticism in
the Environment and Transport Commission of the Chamber, by, among
others, the president of the Anti-Corruption Authority, was converted
into Law 26 May 2023, n. 58. The ANAC, from the first moment, noted the
existence of significant shortcomings and inconsistencies to the
advantage of the private entity compared to the public one. First of
all, the non-existence of prior acceptance by the general contractor to
waive the litigation initiated following the closure of the previous
contract. While regarding the award, disagreements emerge in the
application of the regulations, in relation to the project amount as it
would be increased, in the absence of a new tender. Added to this is the
corporate composition of the general contractor, now led by Webuild, a
Salini group, which has changed over time following various corporate
events. For one thing: even those who lost the tender would now be
awarded the contract together with the old contenders, with the
possibility that the amount would exceed the limit imposed by law.
In all of this, the Stretto di Messina company is resurrected from its
ashes, in which the Ministry of Economy enters fully, with an absolute
majority of the capital, which will exercise its powers in agreement
with the Ministry of Infrastructure. A centralization of no small
importance. And the project? An integrative report expected by 30
September last year would have resolved the update problem. But the same
was "spread" over five versions. The latest, on 20 January 2024. The
act, in its progress, not made available at the request of the
parliamentarians of AVS and the Democratic Party, is the subject of
investigation at the Rome prosecutor's office following a complaint from
the parliamentarians themselves. Over time, the renewed Scientific
Committee of Stretto di Messina Spa issued its opinion on the
"Designer's Report" on January 29th: the document is full of
considerations, observations and recommendations. The latter alone are
68 and concern fundamental topics such as the stability and safety of
the work. However, the experts express a "positive opinion", subject to
a host of problems. So, what are we talking about?
Already in house, the project is considered lacking the requirements for
it to be defined as definitive. So, it is necessary to take stock of
some data. The Ministry of Infrastructure resurrects the bridge project,
which is being updated, in which according to "observers", around 95
percent of the documents date back to the old version, 2011-2012. Both
the project and the contract are re-awarded without a new tender. The
cost of the work, included in the Def, is 14.6 billion euros, but 11.6
billion euros were foreseen in the latest budget law. The difference
could avoid the impasse for the new award. Is everything calculated? 1.6
billion euros will come from Sicily and Calabria, funds stolen from the
Development and Cohesion Fund: precious money for infrastructure and
essential services. As for the planning process, almost simultaneously,
since the beginning of March documents and documents have been pouring
in in digital version which affect offices, local authorities,
associations and above all thousands of citizens, on three dimensions:
the opening of the services conference for the collection of opinions on
the Definitive project; the Environmental Impact Assessment procedure;
the Notice of initiation of expropriation proceedings. There is an
unprecedented acceleration of procedures regarding a public work. In
general, design shortcomings of all kinds refer to the executive project
to come. Perhaps. Fundamental technical-economic documents are missing
and many of those presented are illegible. The race against time begins:
on 16 April the services conference began at the Ministry of
Infrastructure. April 13 was the last day for submitting observations in
the context of the EIA at this stage. Sixty days, starting from April 3,
is the period within which observations can be made regarding the
expropriations. On this last aspect, information and counter-information
interface in Messina: on the one hand the employees of the Stretto di
Messina Spa, on the other, the activists of the No Ponte Capo Peloro
committee. On the first day of opening of the desk at the "Antonello"
Palaculture, while inside some "expropriated persons" were received for
the relevant information, outside the militants of the committee, in a
participatory sit-in, disseminated useful information to anyone would
request: "Expropriate, no thanks!".
Therefore, to clarify this phase: "Any expropriation procedure can be
started only after the approval of the definitive project, with the
related declaration of public utility by the CIPESS - Inter-ministerial
Committee for economic planning and sustainable development". The
message is "We are all expropriated". The whole city would be
"expropriated". Messina is affected from south to north, from Contesse
to Torre Faro. A very hard reality to accept, considering that until
yesterday the bridge seemed exclusive only to this last location, namely
Capo Peloro. The single-span bridge over the Strait is 3 kilometers and
300 meters long, supported by two towers, each 399 meters high. All
this, in one of the areas with the highest seismic risk in the
Mediterranean, where, among other things, impetuous and turbulent winds
rage. An underground railway line of over 18 kilometers is planned that
crosses the city longitudinally, passing through three stations located
on viale Europa, Annunziata and Papardo. The motorway link, over 11
kilometres, in turn, would start from the Giostra junction. Among
operational construction sites, areas for underground stations, storage
and environmental recovery sites, logistics construction sites and
available areas, there are 23 sites. An enormity of spaces and risks,
considering the hydrogeological fragility of the Messina area, which on
1 October 2009 counted 37 victims in the Giampilieri flood.
The most significant observations within the EIA, developed in the short
time frame allowed, of just 30 days, were drawn up by the associations
Italia Nostra, Kyoto Club, Legambiente, Lipu, Man and WWF. They were
joined by the expertise of the association Instead of the bridge and the
No bridge Capo Peloro committee. 38 experts from all over Italy worked
in synergy, including 12 university professors from 9 different
universities. "The documentation presented in the EIA by the proponents
relating to the Environmental Impact Study and contextual impact study
on the sites of the Natura 2000 Network, in no way can legitimize a
definitive project that does not present all the necessary geognostic,
hydrological, seismic, agronomic investigations , biological, chemical,
naturalistic, landscape", the observers write among other things. "The
definitive 2024 project has been neither updated nor integrated, with
exhaustive responses to the 18 requirements only partially fulfilled
according to the EIA technical commission in 2013". The project, in
light of the counterarguments, is "widely incomplete in its responses to
the request for additions which leaves the negative impact assessment
expressed in 2013 unsurpassed". The observers then focus on the seismic
aspects and those relating to wind stresses. As for the cost-benefit
analysis, they recognize that "the construction of the bridge, in
addition to entailing a very significant burden on the public coffers,
also generates economic benefits lower than the costs with losses of
approximately 1.5 billion euros". Then, given the type of work, the
observation you don't expect: "The definitive project is not accompanied
by updated transport studies and traffic flows, postponed to the
future...". And again, there are gaps with respect to the Preventive
Assessment of Archaeological Interest, "identical to 2012" and
irregularities with respect to the landscape plan: "The construction
sites would replace the territory, erasing it". The Impact Assessment is
disregarded, among other things, with the underestimation of the
deviation of the canal that connects the lakes and flows into the
Strait, in the middle of a natural reserve, where the tower is planned
on the Sicilian shore. Also in this context, the devastating
consequences on migratory birds are described, given that these are
Special Protection Areas. Not least, the impact dictated by the high
quality of water needed to get the construction sites up and running, in
the face of Messina's water problems and the crisis that lies ahead in
Sicily.
But above all, the aspect of health protection is disturbing:
"Cardiorespiratory and tumor pathologies associated with environmental
pollution were detected as early as 2013. A minimally credible HIA -
Health Impact Assessment is not produced for the EIA 2024". The response
from the Technical Commission for the verification of the environmental
impact of the Ministry of the Environment was not long in coming: 239
additions were requested. How else could we call serious design
shortcomings in the environmental field? How do you comply with this
mass of critical issues? Therefore, assuming there were still doubts,
the bridge is unsustainable. We learn of a phone call from the CEO of
the Strait of Messina Ciucci to Salvini, complete with a request for
clarifications for the ministry's decision.
Reflection: on the project, in the immediate future, the competent
offices, both central and territorial, net of the risk of being
partially or totally deprived of their technical-administrative
functions, will experience hard times. The bridge is a political issue.
According to Salvini's plans, the CIPESS should express its opinion on
June 30, but the times will be postponed. The hearing for the resolution
of the dispute with Eurolink is scheduled for 14 October. The laying of
the first stone, initially scheduled for next summer, according to the
minister will now have to take place by the end of 2024. But it won't be
easy. "There is no doubt that we are undergoing a process of
militarization of cities. There is only one antidote to this announced
tragedy, and that is the No Bridge fight", write the militants who
recognize themselves in the collective that meets in Messina, at the No
Bridge Space.
Corrado Speziale
https://www.sicilialibertaria.it/
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
By, For, and About Anarchists
Send news reports to A-infos-en mailing list
A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
suspended on a span that oscillates between unscrupulous and predatory
policies on the one hand, and economic interests benefiting the few on
the other. In the middle, the acquiescence of many citizens, often
deprived of awareness and unaware of what really happens between the
secret rooms of power. In this sense, there is no doubt about how much
reasonableness, common sense and above all good politics, with a few
exceptions, on this topic have always abandoned this splendid corner of
the world, the Strait of Messina.
A few days ago, the shock that almost like an "earthquake", an event
tragically known in these parts, disturbed the inhabitants: between the
shores of Sicily and Calabria the infamous project of the mega stable
crossing project rematerialized Strict. Which this time does not go
unnoticed, since the Notice of initiation of the procedure aimed at
affixing the expropriation restriction has in fact shaken around 450
families, who would be deprived of homes and properties in general, but
above all, of their most loved ones. rooted and deep. Because the
"devastation" that would result would affect the history and dignity of
entire communities. To the surprise of many, the bridge does not only
pass over the heads of the inhabitants of Messina and Villa San
Giovanni, but rather over 29 municipalities, between Sicily and
Calabria. "Only" 14, however, are those interested in expropriations.
But let's go in order.
The contract with Eurolink, an association of general contractor
companies that had been awarded the design and construction of the work,
expired in 2013. As a consequence, Stretto di Messina Spa, a state
concessionaire created ad hoc in 1981, owned by Anas , RFI, Calabria
Region and Sicilian Region, no longer had any reason to exist. So,
having burned over 300 million euros over the years, in the absence of
an additional act that would guarantee the sustainability of the
economic and financial plan for the construction of the infamous work,
the curtain had finally fallen on the bridge affair. The Monti
Government had decided this, with the administration and liquidation of
the "Stretto" company. But Eurolink and the American Parsons, consultant
on the project, have initiated legal proceedings with the concessionaire
company, and therefore against the State, at the Civil Court of Rome. At
stake are substantial amounts of indemnities and penalties which, based
on certain calculations, and above all claims, for Eurolink alone would
have exceeded 700 million euros. The decision of the Government of the
time, which went down in history for its particular affection for the
spending review, effectively stifled the ambitions of Berlusconi & Co.,
who were counting on the "objective law" to rout any opposition, whether
technical-bureaucratic or political. The work, even before it was born,
collapsed, both under the blows of the opposition from below led by the
No bridge movements on the banks of the Strait, and under the choices of
a government aware of the absence of both public and private capital,
necessary for the construction and management of the infrastructure.
Case closed? Not really, because on the bridge the attitude of politics,
regardless of the parties, is clear: those in government have always
supported the work, those in opposition have always declared themselves
against it. First of all, Minister Salvini and his party: from no to
yes. Conversely, there are parties that have gone from yes to no, like
the Democratic Party. It is clear that for those who govern the
operation it is too attractive to stay out of it, regardless. Thus,
while everything seemed to be in jeopardy, with the ongoing dispute
which saw the State winning in first instance over the general
contractor, the Meloni Government, in this case the Minister of
Infrastructure Salvini, put in place a measure of rare incorrectness and
illegitimacy: the Decree -Law 31 March 2023 n. 35, to which, as such,
among other things, the essential requirements of necessity and urgency
are attributed. The most controversial public work in Italian history,
which failed before it was born, since 1981, has been treated in the
same way as an accidental and unpredictable event. The decree, not
before having suffered authoritative, burning attacks and criticism in
the Environment and Transport Commission of the Chamber, by, among
others, the president of the Anti-Corruption Authority, was converted
into Law 26 May 2023, n. 58. The ANAC, from the first moment, noted the
existence of significant shortcomings and inconsistencies to the
advantage of the private entity compared to the public one. First of
all, the non-existence of prior acceptance by the general contractor to
waive the litigation initiated following the closure of the previous
contract. While regarding the award, disagreements emerge in the
application of the regulations, in relation to the project amount as it
would be increased, in the absence of a new tender. Added to this is the
corporate composition of the general contractor, now led by Webuild, a
Salini group, which has changed over time following various corporate
events. For one thing: even those who lost the tender would now be
awarded the contract together with the old contenders, with the
possibility that the amount would exceed the limit imposed by law.
In all of this, the Stretto di Messina company is resurrected from its
ashes, in which the Ministry of Economy enters fully, with an absolute
majority of the capital, which will exercise its powers in agreement
with the Ministry of Infrastructure. A centralization of no small
importance. And the project? An integrative report expected by 30
September last year would have resolved the update problem. But the same
was "spread" over five versions. The latest, on 20 January 2024. The
act, in its progress, not made available at the request of the
parliamentarians of AVS and the Democratic Party, is the subject of
investigation at the Rome prosecutor's office following a complaint from
the parliamentarians themselves. Over time, the renewed Scientific
Committee of Stretto di Messina Spa issued its opinion on the
"Designer's Report" on January 29th: the document is full of
considerations, observations and recommendations. The latter alone are
68 and concern fundamental topics such as the stability and safety of
the work. However, the experts express a "positive opinion", subject to
a host of problems. So, what are we talking about?
Already in house, the project is considered lacking the requirements for
it to be defined as definitive. So, it is necessary to take stock of
some data. The Ministry of Infrastructure resurrects the bridge project,
which is being updated, in which according to "observers", around 95
percent of the documents date back to the old version, 2011-2012. Both
the project and the contract are re-awarded without a new tender. The
cost of the work, included in the Def, is 14.6 billion euros, but 11.6
billion euros were foreseen in the latest budget law. The difference
could avoid the impasse for the new award. Is everything calculated? 1.6
billion euros will come from Sicily and Calabria, funds stolen from the
Development and Cohesion Fund: precious money for infrastructure and
essential services. As for the planning process, almost simultaneously,
since the beginning of March documents and documents have been pouring
in in digital version which affect offices, local authorities,
associations and above all thousands of citizens, on three dimensions:
the opening of the services conference for the collection of opinions on
the Definitive project; the Environmental Impact Assessment procedure;
the Notice of initiation of expropriation proceedings. There is an
unprecedented acceleration of procedures regarding a public work. In
general, design shortcomings of all kinds refer to the executive project
to come. Perhaps. Fundamental technical-economic documents are missing
and many of those presented are illegible. The race against time begins:
on 16 April the services conference began at the Ministry of
Infrastructure. April 13 was the last day for submitting observations in
the context of the EIA at this stage. Sixty days, starting from April 3,
is the period within which observations can be made regarding the
expropriations. On this last aspect, information and counter-information
interface in Messina: on the one hand the employees of the Stretto di
Messina Spa, on the other, the activists of the No Ponte Capo Peloro
committee. On the first day of opening of the desk at the "Antonello"
Palaculture, while inside some "expropriated persons" were received for
the relevant information, outside the militants of the committee, in a
participatory sit-in, disseminated useful information to anyone would
request: "Expropriate, no thanks!".
Therefore, to clarify this phase: "Any expropriation procedure can be
started only after the approval of the definitive project, with the
related declaration of public utility by the CIPESS - Inter-ministerial
Committee for economic planning and sustainable development". The
message is "We are all expropriated". The whole city would be
"expropriated". Messina is affected from south to north, from Contesse
to Torre Faro. A very hard reality to accept, considering that until
yesterday the bridge seemed exclusive only to this last location, namely
Capo Peloro. The single-span bridge over the Strait is 3 kilometers and
300 meters long, supported by two towers, each 399 meters high. All
this, in one of the areas with the highest seismic risk in the
Mediterranean, where, among other things, impetuous and turbulent winds
rage. An underground railway line of over 18 kilometers is planned that
crosses the city longitudinally, passing through three stations located
on viale Europa, Annunziata and Papardo. The motorway link, over 11
kilometres, in turn, would start from the Giostra junction. Among
operational construction sites, areas for underground stations, storage
and environmental recovery sites, logistics construction sites and
available areas, there are 23 sites. An enormity of spaces and risks,
considering the hydrogeological fragility of the Messina area, which on
1 October 2009 counted 37 victims in the Giampilieri flood.
The most significant observations within the EIA, developed in the short
time frame allowed, of just 30 days, were drawn up by the associations
Italia Nostra, Kyoto Club, Legambiente, Lipu, Man and WWF. They were
joined by the expertise of the association Instead of the bridge and the
No bridge Capo Peloro committee. 38 experts from all over Italy worked
in synergy, including 12 university professors from 9 different
universities. "The documentation presented in the EIA by the proponents
relating to the Environmental Impact Study and contextual impact study
on the sites of the Natura 2000 Network, in no way can legitimize a
definitive project that does not present all the necessary geognostic,
hydrological, seismic, agronomic investigations , biological, chemical,
naturalistic, landscape", the observers write among other things. "The
definitive 2024 project has been neither updated nor integrated, with
exhaustive responses to the 18 requirements only partially fulfilled
according to the EIA technical commission in 2013". The project, in
light of the counterarguments, is "widely incomplete in its responses to
the request for additions which leaves the negative impact assessment
expressed in 2013 unsurpassed". The observers then focus on the seismic
aspects and those relating to wind stresses. As for the cost-benefit
analysis, they recognize that "the construction of the bridge, in
addition to entailing a very significant burden on the public coffers,
also generates economic benefits lower than the costs with losses of
approximately 1.5 billion euros". Then, given the type of work, the
observation you don't expect: "The definitive project is not accompanied
by updated transport studies and traffic flows, postponed to the
future...". And again, there are gaps with respect to the Preventive
Assessment of Archaeological Interest, "identical to 2012" and
irregularities with respect to the landscape plan: "The construction
sites would replace the territory, erasing it". The Impact Assessment is
disregarded, among other things, with the underestimation of the
deviation of the canal that connects the lakes and flows into the
Strait, in the middle of a natural reserve, where the tower is planned
on the Sicilian shore. Also in this context, the devastating
consequences on migratory birds are described, given that these are
Special Protection Areas. Not least, the impact dictated by the high
quality of water needed to get the construction sites up and running, in
the face of Messina's water problems and the crisis that lies ahead in
Sicily.
But above all, the aspect of health protection is disturbing:
"Cardiorespiratory and tumor pathologies associated with environmental
pollution were detected as early as 2013. A minimally credible HIA -
Health Impact Assessment is not produced for the EIA 2024". The response
from the Technical Commission for the verification of the environmental
impact of the Ministry of the Environment was not long in coming: 239
additions were requested. How else could we call serious design
shortcomings in the environmental field? How do you comply with this
mass of critical issues? Therefore, assuming there were still doubts,
the bridge is unsustainable. We learn of a phone call from the CEO of
the Strait of Messina Ciucci to Salvini, complete with a request for
clarifications for the ministry's decision.
Reflection: on the project, in the immediate future, the competent
offices, both central and territorial, net of the risk of being
partially or totally deprived of their technical-administrative
functions, will experience hard times. The bridge is a political issue.
According to Salvini's plans, the CIPESS should express its opinion on
June 30, but the times will be postponed. The hearing for the resolution
of the dispute with Eurolink is scheduled for 14 October. The laying of
the first stone, initially scheduled for next summer, according to the
minister will now have to take place by the end of 2024. But it won't be
easy. "There is no doubt that we are undergoing a process of
militarization of cities. There is only one antidote to this announced
tragedy, and that is the No Bridge fight", write the militants who
recognize themselves in the collective that meets in Messina, at the No
Bridge Space.
Corrado Speziale
https://www.sicilialibertaria.it/
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
By, For, and About Anarchists
Send news reports to A-infos-en mailing list
A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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