Why the construction of the bridge over the Strait of Messina will enrich Lombardy in particular
Milan – Lombardy will be the region most involved in the construction of the bridge over the Strait of Messina , according to Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini . In presenting the final project, approved on August 6 by the Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning, Salvini cited a study by Open Economics according to which " Lombardy will be the region with the highest number of companies involved ." Approval from the Court of Auditors will be required before construction can begin, but the country's major business leaders expect the €13.5 billion project to begin—as promised by the minister—between September and October.
While in some parts of Italy the bridge's construction is being criticized by many groups due to its environmental impacts, costs, and the risk of massive mafia infiltration, major construction companies have warmly welcomed Salvini's announcement. Assolombarda President Alvise Biffi stated that he was "satisfied with the approval from CIPESS for the final design of the Messina Strait Bridge. This is a strategic project for our country, unique in its kind, and its completion will have positive repercussions on the national economy in the coming years. This major infrastructure project will revolutionize connections to and from Sicily, implementing a European transport network and combining the best of international engineering with Italian industrial capacity. I am confident that Webuild and all the companies involved will be able to contribute to the completion of one of the most ambitious projects in the world, demonstrating, once again, the excellence of Italian expertise. The Messina Strait Bridge will make Italy more united and connected , multiplying, with a domino effect, business opportunities for the entire productive fabric."
Lombardy's involvement is realized through the participation of local companies in the project's production chain. The Eurolink consortium, led by Lombardy's Webuild , is the project's main construction company, while several Lombard companies are expected to benefit from the induced effects of the mega-infrastructure .
According to Open Economics calculations, which Salvini cited, during the construction phase the project will be able to contribute €23.1 billion to the gross domestic product, €5.6 billion of which will come from Lombardy alone . Lazio (€3.7 billion), Sicily (€2.1 billion), and Calabria (€1.9 billion) follow.
The economic multiplier of the estimated investment is quite high: for every euro spent on the bridge's construction, an additional value of 1.83 euros will be generated in Italy. For Lombardy, the Open Economics study also predicts an increase in jobs, with more than 9,300 new jobs .
Obviously, Salvini also mentioned " companies from Veneto, Lazio, and Emilia-Romagna . Obviously, I expect professional training to start in Sicily and Calabria , which are two of the regions with the highest youth unemployment rates in Europe." The minister plans to begin both the work and the expropriations in the fall.
Il Giorno
