(Finance) – “Some details did not allow the government to approve the project by 2024”. This is what he says Elio Conti Nibali, member of the Instead of the Bridge association, interviewed by Ansa on the situation of the Strait Bridge. There are still several issues to be resolved. First of all, the hypothesis of a transfer to the European Commission before the Cipess. Second, when we will have access to the details of the costs of the maxi-work.
“The opinion of the Via-Vas commission of the Ministry of the Environment is very clear”, he declares Counts Nibali, referring to the part in which “negative opinion is expressed with reference to the Appropriate Impact Assessment (Level II) for the sites SPA ITA030042 (Monti Peloritani, Dorsale Curcuraci, Antennamare and Marine Area Stretto), SPA IT9350300 (Costa Viola) and SPA IT9350172 ( Seabeds from Punta Pezzo to Capo dell’Armi)”. Since there are no “alternative solutions to the one proposed” to protect these important areas from an environmental point of view, the opinion continues, “a Level III Impact Assessment has been drawn up, in order to outline any necessary compensation measures” to be implemented deed, with relevant legal indication. In cases where this assessment is made, comments Conti Nibali, “an authorization in derogation from the European Commission is required”. He refers to the law implementing the Habitats Directive, which states that “if the sites include types of natural habitats and priority species (and this is the case, ed.), the plan or intervention whose negative impact on the site of community importance, can be carried out only with reference to needs related to human health and public safety or to needs of primary importance for the environment”, or, “subject to the opinion of the European Commission, for other reasons imperatives of significant public interest”.
This is a possible obstacle to Cipess’ yes which is also present in the joint appeal to the Lazio Regional Administrative Court presented by the Municipality of Villa San Giovanni and the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria. And for which the hearing is expected on January 14th.
There response from the Strait of Messina company it doesn’t let itself wait. “There is no inconsistency with environmental regulations, nor will any exemptions be requested from Europe – it is reported in a note –. The procedure is taking place with the utmost respect for the Italian and European regulatory framework. The Environmental Impact Assessment Commission has given favorable opinion for the bridge over the Strait of Messina with 62 requirements, 60 of which will be complied with during the approval of the executive project and two after the entry into operation of the bridge, as established by the Commission itself. Further information is requested already, to a large extent, planned by the Strait of Messina”.
Among them observations by Conti Nibalialso “the absence to date of a certain and detailed quantification of the costs of the work. This is not done by indicating summative figures for overall items. Every self-respecting definitive project – he explains – is accompanied by estimate documents. The cost analysis benefits reported the overall figure (with a breakdown into broad items) of 13.5 billion, the public was denied access to documents that would allow an assessment of the reliability and quality of the investment costs”.
“There is no lack of quantification of costs – reports the company –. The updated value, also following the definition of the agreements with all the different suppliers, is equal to 13.5 billion, entirely covered by the recent budget law. The economic and financial plan of the Opera, which will show the entire coverage of the financial needs, will be presented to Cipess, together with the definitive project”.