The Court of Auditors halts construction of the Strait of Messina Bridge. Prime Minister Meloni: "Yet another act of judicial harassment."

Tensions remain high between the government and the accounting judiciary after the Court of Auditors' decision to deny the visa of legitimacy to the Cipess resolution on the Messina Strait Bridge.

The executive is therefore preparing to respond to the Court's observations, which will publish the reasons for its decision within thirty days. After the emergency meeting convened at Palazzo Chigi, the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni defined the pronunciation “yet another act of invasion by the judges”, announcing that reforms to justice and the Court of Auditors “will be the answer”.

Il Minister of Salvini Infrastructures he ensured that “the construction sites will start in February” and that the government will "respond point by point" to the objections, specifying that he wanted to proceed "without clashes between state powers".

Justice Minister Carlo Nordio instead spoke of a "jurisdictionalization process, or rather the attribution to the judiciary of tasks and censures typical of politics", defining the issue “a serious problem, to be faced with a cool and calm mind.”

For its part, the The Court of Auditors has clarified that the decision concerns "strictly legal aspects of the Cipess resolution, without any kind of evaluation on the opportunity and merit of the work". The body recalled that the respect for legitimacy "is an essential prerequisite for the regularity of public spending".

As required by law, In the event of refusal to register, the Council of Ministers may decide that the act responds to a higher public interest and in any case orders the continuation of the project. In such a case the Court shall place a “seen with reservations”, and the act is transmitted to Parliament, which evaluates its political responsibility.

Among the points under scrutiny by the accounting magistrates are financial coverage, traffic estimates, the project's compliance with environmental and anti-seismic regulations, and its compatibility with European cost constraints.

Meanwhile, the Court of Auditors is also examining another measure related to the Bridge: the decree of the Ministry of Transport relating to the third additional act of the agreement with the concessionaire company Stretto di Messina. The decision on this dossier is expected within the first few days of November.

Political reactions remain mixed. Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani declared that "the government will await the Court's reasons, but intends to move forward with the construction of the project."
The secretary of the Democratic Party Elly Schlein instead asked the executive to “act responsibly and stop”, defining the “useless, old and harmful” project.

Positions are also being expressed from the Sicily region. The mayor of Villa San Giovanni, Giusy Caminiti, he said “don't be surprised” by the Court's decision, recalling that the Municipality had similar objections have already been raised before the Lazio Regional Administrative Court. “We are waiting to read the reasons,” he added. “remembering that the verification of legitimacy is a prerequisite for the project's accounting regularity.”