| If you are a property or real estate investor in Sicily, | | | | project. The protestors want the project brought back |
| you will probably be aware of the ongoing situation | | | | to life.Sicily has lacked investment in the past and the |
| regarding the proposed Messina bridge, which would | | | | protestors, who included Sicily's local government chief |
| connect Sicily and mainland Italy, by road, and | | | | Salvatore Cuffaro, believe that the bridge would |
| drastically reduce the speed to travel between the | | | | drastically help the Sicilian economy and also create |
| two. The bridge would in effect probably greatly aid | | | | thousands of jobs. The bridge has already been |
| the Sicilian economy and make Sicily even more | | | | approved by the E.U. and there is a fair amount of |
| accessible and attractive to investors and realtors. | | | | opposition to the bridge, in addition to support for it. The |
| With the defeat of Berlusconi from office, the bridge | | | | opposition highlight the costs that would be involved, |
| project (which would mean creating the longest | | | | and concerns that the mafia could become involved in |
| suspension bridge in the world) this year 2006 looks | | | | the financial side of the construction work. Others |
| unlikely to go ahead. The project was a pet project of | | | | highlight concerns over the environmental impact of the |
| Berlusconi's and Prodi who has taken over power, | | | | bridge, if it is built. Many Sicilians though, feel that they |
| clearly seems to believe that the bridge is | | | | deserve finally to get some investment into their |
| unnecessary and a waste of money.On the 19th | | | | depressed region.Under Berlusconi, the bridge |
| September 2006, approximately 1000 residents of | | | | development would have commenced this year and |
| Sicilian and neighbouring mainland areas i.e. marched in | | | | finished 2012, at an estimated cost of more than 4 |
| Rome to voice their support and desire for the | | | | billion euros. Estimates in the media, state that the |
| Messina bridge project, demanding an improved | | | | bridge would likely be able to handle four and a half |
| infrastructure in the South of Italy, which has arguably, | | | | thousand cars per hour, up to two hundred trains a |
| been neglected over the years. The North of Italy is | | | | day. This project would certainly help the Sicilian |
| more affluent than the poorer south. One group | | | | economy and also booast the Sicily real estate |
| involved with the protest went as far as staging a | | | | market. |
| pretend funeral to highlight the death of the bridge | | | | |