Italian public works under scrutiny as Agrigento PNrr funds revoked and contractor loses DURC

The Italian anti‑corruption authority ANAC issued a formal reprimand to the Comune di Agrigento after an audit found serious irregularities in the handling of a PNrr‑funded redevelopment project in the Santa Croce district. The municipality had been allocated €4.9 million to refurbish 35 publicly owned buildings, but subsequently changed the plan to demolish and rebuild a block largely composed of private properties, increasing the budget to €5.39 million without notifying the regional funder. The project lacked secured land, a appointed works director, and any construction had begun. As a result, the region revoked the grant and demanded repayment of the €735,000 advance.

In a separate case, an Italian construction company faced the loss of its DURC (Documento Unico di Regolarità Contributiva) after missing a single installment in the “rottamazione quinquies” tax‑regularisation scheme introduced by the 2026 budget law. While the firm remains in the fiscal plan, the invalidated DURC jeopardises its ability to receive payments for a public contract and to sign extensions, illustrating how punctual contributions are essential for maintaining eligibility for public works contracts.