By Angelo Amante ROME (Reuters) -An Italian court has ruled that plans for the world's largest suspension bridge between mainland Italy and the island of Sicily would break EU environmental and tender
Italian Court Ruling Challenges Sicily Bridge Project
By Angelo Amante
ROME (Reuters) -An Italian court has ruled that plans for the world's largest suspension bridge between mainland Italy and the island of Sicily would break EU environmental and tender rules, but the government said it would not give up on the flagship project.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government says the intended 3,666-metre bridge over the Strait of Messina - surpassing one in Turkey - would bring prosperity to traditionally poorer regions and also aid movement of NATO alliance troops.
But in a 33-page ruling published late on Thursday, the Court of Auditors said the government failed to justify going against environmental concerns for the impact on coastal and marine areas on the island and the Calabria region.
The proposed bridge has been a matter of national debate for half a century, with supporters touting economic benefits and critics citing wasteful expenditure and environmental damage in an area prone to earthquakes.
"The assumptions regarding the various 'reasons of public interest' are not validated by technical bodies and are not supported by adequate documentation," the ruling said of the 13.5 billion euros ($15.65 billion) project.
COSTS CONCERNS
The judges also noted that uncertainty over costs and changes in financing compared to an original 2005 contract - more than three times cheaper - may require a new tender to ensure European rules for bidders are respected.
The Eurolink consortium provisionally selected to build the bridge is led by Italy's Webuild and also includes Spanish group Sacyr, and Japan's IHI.
The government said it would review the ruling carefully and vowed to pursue the project, a priority for Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini who leads the far-right League party.
"The government is convinced these issues have ample room for clarification before the Court itself," its statement said.
The consortium reaffirmed "full confidence" that the government would address all objections raised.
If they fail to convince the court, Meloni and Salvini may seek a cabinet vote to override its objections, but that could trigger legal and constitutional challenges.
($1 = 0.8626 euros)
(Reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
