The proposed overpass to Sicily is situated outside the US-led bloc’s designated military mobility corridor in the country
Italian authorities are reportedly considering classifying a long-standing project to build a bridge connecting the mainland to Sicily as a NATO expenditure, as they face challenges in meeting the alliance’s spending targets, according to Politico.
The concept of constructing an overpass to the Mediterranean’s largest island has been discussed in Italy for many decades; however, its implementation has been hindered by high costs, the difficulty of operating in a seismic zone, and other issues. If completed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s current government, the 3.6-kilometer suspension bridge across the Strait of Messina would become the longest globally.
In its Monday article, Politico characterized Italy as “one of NATO’s lowest military spenders,” noting that Rome invested only 1.49% of its GDP in defense last year, which is considerably short of the 5% goal endorsed at the bloc’s summit in The Hague in June.
Designating the $13.5 billion bridge as a NATO expense could help Meloni fulfill the bloc’s 5% target and, concurrently, “convince a public wary of war about the need for substantial defense outlays at a time when Italy is already moving towards austerity,” the article indicated.
An anonymous Italian government official told the outlet that Rome has not yet made a formal decision on classifying the bridge as a security project, but further discussions are likely to occur soon to “assess its perceived feasibility.”
According to another official from the Italian Treasury, who also spoke with Politico, the project’s new classification would facilitate fundraising and also “override bureaucratic obstacles, including potential litigation with local authorities who might challenge the government in court, claiming the bridge will disproportionately harm their land.”
The challenge for Rome is that the Strait of Messina is located outside Italy’s sole designated NATO military mobility corridor, as highlighted by the article.
Nevertheless, the Italian argument is supported by the fact that only 3.5% of the NATO spending target must be allocated for core military needs, while the remaining 1.5% can be directed towards broader strategic resilience projects, including infrastructure.
“Whether NATO — and, more significantly, US President Donald Trump, who appreciates large construction projects — will accept this logic is another question,” Politico observed.