Italy Explores Turning Sicily Bridge into NATO-Linked Military Project

(MENAFN) Italy's government is considering reclassifying the much-debated €13.5 (around $14B) billion bridge connecting the mainland to Sicily as a strategic military project, aimed at meeting NATO’s ambitious defense spending target of 5% of GDP by 2035, a report revealed on Monday.

This proposal comes at a time when Italy, which allocated only 1.49% of its GDP to defense in 2023, faces mounting pressure to significantly increase military-related investments, according to media.

The bridge, planned to span the Strait of Messina and potentially become the world's longest suspension bridge, could serve dual purposes, both civilian and military, officials claim.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini assert that the bridge would enhance NATO’s military mobility by facilitating the swift transfer of troops and equipment between Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.

"Infrastructure is also strategic from a security perspective in many ways," Salvini explained, confirming the project could count toward Italy’s NATO obligations.

A government report issued in April underscored the bridge's significance, not only for public interest but also for "national and international security."

By reclassifying the bridge as a defense asset, officials hope to bypass bureaucratic delays and secure alternative financing. While NATO’s defense spending target mandates that only 3.5% of the GDP go toward core defense, member countries are allowed to allocate up to 1.5% for strategic infrastructure, a provision Italy could potentially leverage.

A Treasury official indicated that such a move would expedite the long-stalled project and reduce the risk of legal roadblocks from local authorities.

However, despite government backing, the proposal has met fierce criticism.

"This is a mockery of citizens and NATO commitments," said Giuseppe Antoci, a member of the European Parliament representing the left-populist Five Star Movement.

He argued that redesignating the bridge as a military project would severely tarnish Italy’s credibility.

Critics also question the rationale behind the bridge, pointing out that it would primarily connect Sicily and Calabria—two of Italy’s poorest regions, where basic infrastructure remains underdeveloped.

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