Govt reiterates that contested rail line must go ahead
'Necessary, useful, strategic,' says industry minister
06 March, 11:18
Protests against the Lyon-Turin 'TAV' project have been taking place for years, but they have escalated over the last 10 days, with a number of incidents of violence and road blocks that have caused major disruption.
"This project is necessary, useful and of strategic importance for our country, in addition to respecting Italian, French and European regulations," Industry Minister Corrado Passera told Turin-based daily La Stampa.
"All this makes the manifestations of illegality and violence even more unacceptable".
The protests look set to continue on Tuesday with a sit-in in Turin, which Italian President Giorgio Napolitano will visit after making an appeal on Monday for protesters to "desist from unacceptable behaviour". Opponents to the project say a tunnel in the Valle di Susa valley will create pollution and mar the area's natural beauty, arguing that the money would be better spent on improving public transport locally.
Supporters, including most Italian political parties and the European Commission, say the link will actually reduce pollution by minimizing road-based freight traffic.
Friday, 16 March 2012
Guarda la foto1 di 1
(ANSA) - Rome, March 6 - The government reiterated on Tuesday that a hotly contested high-speed rail link in northern Italy is necessary and must go ahead.
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