Opposition slams "surreal" plan to list Messina bridge as military infrastructure.The Italian government is reportedly seeking to classify a €13.5 billion bridge as a strategic military asset amid a push to meet NATO's five per cent GDP defence expenditure target.Italy, which currently spends around 1.5 per cent of its GDP on defence, ranks among NATO’s lowest contributors and is coming under pressure to significantly ramp up its military spending. The 3.2 kilometre long bridge, whose planned construction was scrapped a decade ago over budget constraints, was revived by Giorgia Meloni's rightwing government in 2023 but has faced cost delays and bureaucratic hurdles since then. The government argues that the planned bridge over the Strait of Messina, set to be the world’s longest suspension bridge, could serve dual civilian and strategic purposes, Politico reports. The proposed move is seen as a potential loophole for Italy, as NATO member states may allocate up to 1.5 per cent of the five per cent target for strategic infrastructure, while the remaining 3.5 per cent must be spent on core defence. An Italian government official told Politico that a formal decision had yet to been taken regarding the classification of the bridge as a security project, adding that further talks to assess the feasibility of the plan would likely be held soon. In April, the government adopted a memorandum describing the bridge as being of "strategic importance for national and international security" that will play "a key role in defence and security, facilitating the movement of Italian armed forces and NATO allies", enabling the "rapid transport of heavy vehicles, troops, and resources both by road and rail". An official from the Italian treasury told Politico that designating the contentious bridge as a military asset would help the government overcome the obstacles faced by the project in the past. "It is up to the Italian authorities to assess whether the main purpose of the bridge is military or civilian," a spokesperson for the European Commission said on Wednesday, cited by news agency ANSA, indicating that the EU has no objections to the scheme as long as it meets the necessary requirements. The proposal however has come in for strong criticism from Italy's opposition. "The classification of the Bridge over the Strait of Messina as a military expenditure is a mockery of the citizens and of the commitments made at NATO", said Giuseppe Antoci, an MEP from the Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S). Angelo Bonelli of the Greens and Left Alliance (AVS) said the "idea is so surreal that it is dangerous", noting that in 1987 the Italian military publication Rivista Militare defined the proposed suspension bridge as "the most vulnerable solution from a defensive point of view: an infrastructure exposed to attacks from sea, air and land, difficult to protect, easily detectable by radar and with very high defence costs. It's all written in black and white. In short: a perfect target". Bonelli blasted the planned bridge as "a flawed project from every point of view: environmental, economic and even military", adding: "National security is not strengthened with useless works, but by investing in health, education, public infrastructure, and ecological reconversion". Daniela Morfino (M5S) slammed the "tragicomic" plan to classify the bridge as a military asset to meet NATO spending, describing the proposed structure as "an expensive, impactful and practically useless" project. Italy's deputy premier and infrastructure minister Matteo Salvini has been the driving force behind the bridge which he said will represent "the crowning glory of Italian engineering". Addressing concerns over its structural viability, environmental impact and safety in an earthquake-prone area, Salvini has said the bridge would be built according to "new technical, safety and environmental standards”. Plans to undertake the massive infrastructure project, rejected by previous governments due to high costs and engineering impracticability, date back to Roman times.

The Italian government is reportedly seeking to classify a €13.5 billion bridge as a strategic military asset amid a push to meet NATO's five per cent GDP defence expenditure target. Italy, which currently spends around 1.5 per cent of its GDP on defence, ranks among NATO’s lowest contributors and is coming under pressure to significantly ramp up its military spending. The , whose planned construction was scrapped a decade ago over budget constraints, was revived by Giorgia Meloni's rightwing government in 2023 but has faced cost delays and bureaucratic hurdles since then. The government argues that the planned bridge over the Strait of Messina, set to be the world’s longest suspension bridge, could serve dual civilian and strategic purposes, Politico reports. The proposed move is seen as a potential loophole for Italy, as NATO member states may allocate up to 1.5 per cent of the five per cent target for strategic infrastructure, while the remaining 3.5 per cent must be spent on core defence. An Italian government official told Politico that a formal decision had yet to been taken regarding the classification of the bridge as a security project, adding that further talks to assess the feasibility of the plan would likely be held soon. In April, the government adopted a memorandum describing the bridge as being of "strategic importance for national and international security" that will play "a key role in defence and security, facilitating the movement of Italian armed forces and NATO allies", enabling the "rapid transport of heavy vehicles, troops, and resources both by road and rail". An official from the Italian treasury told Politico that designating the contentious bridge as a military asset would help the government overcome the obstacles faced by the project in the past. "It is up to the Italian authorities to assess whether the main purpose of the bridge is military or civilian," a spokesperson for the European Commission said on Wednesday, cited by news agency ANSA, indicating that the EU has no objections to the scheme as long as it meets the necessary requirements. The proposal however has come in for strong criticism from Italy's opposition. "The classification of the Bridge over the Strait of Messina as a military expenditure is a mockery of the citizens and of the commitments made at NATO", said Giuseppe Antoci, an MEP from the Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S). Angelo Bonelli of the Greens and Left Alliance (AVS) said the "idea is so surreal that it is dangerous", noting that in 1987 the Italian military publication Rivista Militare defined the proposed suspension bridge as "the most vulnerable solution from a defensive point of view: an infrastructure exposed to attacks from sea, air and land, difficult to protect, easily detectable by radar and with very high defence costs. It's all written in black and white. In short: a perfect target". Daniela Morfino (M5S) slammed the "tragicomic" plan to classify the bridge as a military asset to meet NATO spending, describing the proposed structure as "an expensive, impactful and practically useless" project. Italy's deputy premier and infrastructure minister Matteo Salvini has been the driving force behind the bridge which he said will represent "the crowning glory of Italian engineering". Addressing concerns over its structural viability, environmental impact and safety in an earthquake-prone area, Salvini has said the bridge would be built according to "new technical, safety and environmental standards”. Plans to undertake the massive infrastructure project, rejected by previous governments due to high costs and engineering impracticability, date back to Roman times.