The revocation of the motorway
concessions of Autostrade per l'Italia (ASPI), deemed at fault
in the Genoa bridge collapse that killed 43 last August, will be
"total", Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said Monday.
The revocation is strongly backed by Toninelli's 5-Star
Movement (M5S) while the M5S's government partner, the League
party, is against stripping Autostrade and its parent company,
the Benetton controlled Atlantia holding company, of the
concessions, citing job losses.
Toninelli said Monday that "the League should not act as
lawyer for ASPI".
M5S leader Luigi Di Maio, who is also deputy premier and
labour and industry minister, said "the silence of the League
makes the Benettons feel more protected".
He said "I'm sorry that (League leader and Deputy Premier and
Interior Minister Matteo) Salvini says that jobs will be lost.
Jobs will not be lost, he can trust me. We cannot be
blackmailed, and jobs will not be lost".
ASPI, for its part, said that if its concession were revoked
there would be compensation to pay, by law.
ASPI also said that a transport ministry appointed
commission's report into the case had been diffused to the media
"in a piloted and partial" way, before it was communicated to
ASPI, allegedly flouting procedural requirements.
ASPI also said that a new video on the collapse of the
Morandi Bridge did not clarify its causes.
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