Villa San Giovanni officials criticize Strait of Messina Bridge decree

The municipal administration of Villa San Giovanni has expressed strong opposition to the IROPI 2026 decree, a key prerequisite for the Strait of Messina Bridge project. Mayor Giusy Caminiti and her administration criticized the document published by the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE) for lacking substantive content and failing to provide adequate reasoning for the government's decision.

The local government argues that the decree is superficial, merely repeating legal text regarding imperative reasons of public interest—such as human health and public safety—without explaining the specific underlying justifications. This criticism follows a 2025 ruling by the Court of Auditors, which highlighted potential violations of European Union law regarding the protection of Natura 2000 sites.

Local officials expressed concern that the current approach ignores the necessity of protecting community areas and suggests that the proposed project may be unfeasible due to these legal and environmental conflicts.