The Catania-Ragusa motorway is once again an unknown factor, hanging on the fate of the Lega-M5s government and on the course reversals of the minister of infrastructure, Danilo Toninelli. After the proclamations and the bombastic announcements of early August, a new aura of uncertainty is falling over the key infrastructure for the south-east of Sicily which is causing concern among the mayors of the countries and cities concerned.
The local administrators, led by the mayor of the metropolitan city Salvo Pogliese - mayor of Catania - yesterday called a press conference by pronouncing very harsh words against the minister Toninelli, guilty of having blown up a crucial meeting, and illustrating the numerous doubts existing on the future of the work. The risk, according to many, is that of remain without a motorway, paying in parallel substantial compensation to the Sarc, a company that has held the concession for five years. An eventuality that is not too unattainable and becomes a real joke.
But let's take a step back. Sarc's financial project foresees, or perhaps it would be better to say foreseen, an investment equal to 815 million euros divided as follows: 448 from private individuals, 150 from Anas, 218 from the Region of Sicily. After an infinite bureaucratic process, the dream of realizing the Catania-Ragusa line seems to be destined to become a reality. Only one big unknown: the toll. The forecasts spoke of 12 euros each way, an unsustainable figure that could have transformed the work into an impassable desert for any motorist. From here the negotiations started, which were partially successful (the hypotheses were to go down to 8 or 5 euros with a regional intervention) to reduce costs.
At this point, however, Minister Toninelli decides to shuffle the cards: “I can finally give you the announcement for which we have been working hard for months. The Ragusa-Catania motorway will cost nothing for those who travel on it”, Toninelli said on Facebook last July 25th. And again: “Despite Musumeci and despite certain instrumental controversies, we have continued to commit ourselves in silence and we have reached an agreement that unlocks an infrastructure that has been inactive for over 30 years. Anas takes over the project from Sarc and therefore the work will be done with resources included in the program contract of the Road Society”, concludes the minister. A week later the OK from Cipe arrived.
In summary: the Catania-Ragusa line, according to the owner of the Infrastructures, will have to be built entirely with public investments. Doing the math, the other 367 million previously guaranteed by the Sarc will have to be added to the 448 million previously held by the state. All money to be found from year to year and included in the various budget laws.
Not only. The transition from private to public would start the authorization process almost from scratch, enormously dilating the times. According to local administrators, it could even go up to eight to eleven years. Not for the construction, but just to start the work.
To understand what will be the fate of Catania - Ragusa in the eternal struggle between public and private the next meeting of the CIPE, set for 5 September, will be decisive. It is a pity that it is not known if at that date the Lega-M5s government will still exist and if Toninelli will still be firm in his seat. The government crisis and possible changes at Palazzo Chigi could lead to yet another turnaround on the Sicilian highway, resulting in the paralysis of an area that has been waiting for its highway for 32 years. “If there is a new government, which option will it choose?” ask the mayors of the Municipalities concerned, "Public or private?" Unless a new Executive decides to block everything again until a date to be set. 32 years of waiting, perhaps, is still not enough.
