Italy possibly to classify proposed USD13.5 billion bridge as NATO spending
(MENAFN) Italian officials are considering classifying a proposed $13.5 billion bridge linking the mainland to Sicily as part of their NATO defense spending, according to Politico. The move could help Italy close the gap on the bloc’s new 5% GDP military spending target, set during the NATO summit in The Hague in June. Currently, Italy spends just 1.49% of its GDP on defense, one of the lowest rates among NATO members.
The project — a 3.6-kilometer suspension bridge across the Strait of Messina — has been under discussion for decades but stalled due to high costs, legal disputes, and seismic challenges. If completed, it would become the world's longest suspension bridge.
While no final decision has been made, one Italian government source told Politico that internal talks are likely to continue in the coming weeks to assess the feasibility of framing the bridge as a national security asset.
A Treasury official said this classification could help bypass bureaucratic hurdles, avoid litigation from local authorities opposing the project, and ease the process of securing funding.
Although the Messina Strait isn’t within NATO’s designated military mobility corridors, Italy may still qualify the project under NATO’s new spending framework. Only 3.5% of the 5% GDP target must go to core military investments, while the remaining 1.5% can fund broader strategic resilience efforts — including infrastructure.
Whether NATO or U.S. President Donald Trump, known for supporting large-scale construction, will approve of the bridge being counted as defense spending remains uncertain, Politico noted.
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