May 24, 2024, 06:35
5 min read
PALERMO – The figure that catches the eye more than the others is that of billion and 300 million euros for the co-financing of the Strait Bridgebut in the agreement on the programming of the resources of the Development and Cohesion Fund 2021-2027 intended for Sicily there is much more.
580 interventions expected in Sicily
The regional government launched the planning in the session of May 22nd but a new meeting of the Schifani Council is scheduled for today, Friday 24th. There may be some adjustments to the tables which contain 580 interventionsmany of which will be financed entirely with FSC resources.
The signing of the State-Region agreement is scheduled for Monday afternoon, when the prime minister will arrive at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo Giorgia Meloni and the Minister for European Affairs, Cohesion Policies and the Pnrr Raffaele Fitto. The governor will sign for the Region Renato Schifaniwhich in recent months has led the negotiations with Rome on the interventions to be financed.
M5s: “Election timing on FSC funds”
“This timing, a few weeks before the European vote, after months and months of waiting, smacks of an election campaign”, is the suspicion put forward by the M5s group leader to the Ars Antonio De Luca and by the president of the EU commission of Palazzo dei Normanni Luigi Sunseri. “Before signing, the list of works should have been examined by the Ars, as per the commitment made by President Galvagno, and instead, once again Parliament was bypassed,” they add.
FSC funds, ‘treasure’ worth 6.8 billion
The 2021-2027 FSC cake is worth a total of 6.8 billion euros, of which 234 million and 696 thousand have already been advanced to Sicily. Over 6.6 billion remain: a ‘treasure’ which in the government’s plans will help the island mend the gap with the rest of the country.
The cauldron of measures provided is large and the ingredients are different. From the modernization of the Messina-Palermo and Catania-Messina motorways to that of the airports of Catania, Palermo, Trapani and Comiso. Resources to reduce the risk of flooding in the capital and to reactivate the watermakers in Trapani, Gela and Porto Empedocle, counteracting the ‘great thirst’. And further funding for the Politeama Theater in Palermo, for the Cathedral of Monreale and for that of Cefalù.
Waste, not just waste-to-energy plants
Then there is the waste chapter, with eight hundred thousand euros to finance waste-to-energy plants in Palermo and Catania. Furthermore, in Palermo, the construction of the VII Bis tank in Bellolampo for non-hazardous waste will be financed with 16.1 million euros.
Controls on the spending of FSC funds
A rigid control system is foreseen for the transfer of resources, as established by the Southern Decree. The intervention program will be monitored and in case of failure to comply with the annual financial spending plan, definancing will be triggered “for an amount corresponding to the difference between the expected annual expenditure and the payments made”.
A steering and supervisory committee
The agreement also provides for the creation of a Technical Steering and Supervision Committee. It will include a representative from the Cohesion Policies department, one from the Ministry of Economy, one from the Ministry of Infrastructure and one from the Sicilian Region. The committee will periodically examine the implementation status of the agreement and any proposed modifications.
Nine sectors for FSC funds in Sicily
Nine areas of intervention are planned: Business competitiveness; Power; Environment and natural resources; Culture; Transport and mobility; Urban redevelopment; Social and health; Education and training; Administrative capacity.
Transport and mobility
A large portion of interventions will be absorbed by the macro-area ‘Transport and mobility’, which alone is worth over a billion euros. A separate chapter for the bridge over the Strait, which with the collateral works should cost around 15 billion. In this cauldron there are 251 million euros which will be used to make the Palermo-Messina (170 million) and Messina-Catania (81 million) motorways safer and more modern. Another 2.4 million will go to Siracusa-Gela.
Funds for airports
Rain of funds also for Sicilian airports. At the moment the agreement provides for Catania-Fontanarossa 33.3 million euros: they will be used for restyling of the terminals, to improve safety and the runway. The Falcone-Borsellino of Palermo will gross 14 million for the expansion of the passenger terminal and the strengthening of the aircraft parking and movement aprons.
Cargo area in Comiso
The investments also concern the smaller airports. To the Pio La Torre of Comisoaccording to the resolution of May 22nd, 22.4 million euros: Schifani is aiming for the development of a cargo area which will involve twenty million of FSC resources. The Vincenzo Florio of Trapani will be able to enjoy 12.7 million to expand the arrival and departure terminals and for other interventions. Three million expected in Pantelleria which will redevelop the roads between the port and the airport.
Interventions on ports
Over 19 million euros of FSC funds will contribute to the construction of an intermodal logistics platform for the Tremestieri landing place, in Messinawhile the logistics hub ofTermini Imerese interport it will cost thirty million euros. Another 34 million will be invested for the safety of the port of Bonagiain Valderice (Trapani), 12.5 for waterfront of Palermo.
Funds also for the Catania metro. As many as 121 million euros will contribute to the second lot of the Misterbianco-Paternò section.
Environment and natural resources
In the chapter ‘Environment and natural resources’ i funding to get the watermakers in Trapani, Gela and Porto Empedocle back on their feet. A move that is part of the plan to combat the water emergency underway on the island. To date, 32 million euros are expected each for the Trapani and Gela plants, 26 for the Agrigento one.
In Palermo, 15 million will arrive from FSC funds for gutter channels and lamination tanks which should definitively avoid the risk of flooding in Mondello and Sferracavallo. Another 19 million will be used for the maintenance of rainwater drainage channels. The landing pier in Gela will be demolished in reinforced concrete built in the early twentieth century. Knocking it down, disposing of the material and returning the places to their original state will cost 7.4 million euros.
The Culture chapter
Interventions on the ‘Culture’ front are also planned: come on 15 million euros to restore the vault and decorations of the Politeama Theater in Palermo to eight for the ‘Chiafura’ archaeological park, in the Ragusa area. Another 7.5 million are expected for the recovery, valorisation and completion of the Rocca di Gagliano Castelferrato, in the province of Enna. Monreale is also smiling, obtaining one million for the cloister of the Benedictine monumental complex and 1.2 million for the Cathedral. The Cathedral of Cefalù, however, collects 1.1 million euros. Finally, another 2.3 million for the restoration and recovery of the temple of Apollo in Syracuse.
Published on
May 24, 2024, 06:35
