The global crime organization Italian Mafia is in a paradoxical situation, anxiously facing a colossal business worth 22 trillion won (13.5 billion euros). This is set against the backdrop of the construction project of the 'Messina Daekyo' bridge, connecting mainland Italy and the 'island of the mafia,' Sicily. When the bridge, which corresponds to the world's largest suspension bridge, is established, there is a high possibility of securing short-term interests such as construction subcontracting and material supply. However, there are concerns within the Mafia that the geographical isolation of the island will collapse the monopolistic dominance it has maintained, leading to an infinite competition for survival against competing organizations on the mainland, foreign media including AP reported on the 6th.
Much like the Corleone family in the movie 'The Godfather,' the Mafia organization 'Cosa Nostra,' based in Sicily, has built a unique organizational culture rooted in kinship and independent power based on the island's geographical characteristics. However, the Sicilian Mafia has been significantly weakened following the arrest of notorious boss Matteo Messina Denaro in 2023, after a 30-year on-the-run saga.
On the other hand, another Mafia organization, 'Ndrangheta,' based in Calabria, the southernmost point of the mainland closest to Sicily, is showcasing formidable financial power. While Cosa Nostra was falling apart, they grew into the largest cocaine trafficking organization in Europe. For Cosa Nostra, the emergence of a bridge means that 'Ndrangheta' will have a pathway into their weakened territory. This is why they perceive it as a matter of organizational survival beyond simple territorial disputes.
The dilemma faced by the Mafia is closely aligned with the concerns confronting all of Sicily. The bridge construction is an opportunity to revitalize the backward Sicilian economy compared to mainland Italy. Supporters of the bridge construction noted that 'if the travel time currently exceeding 100 minutes by ferry is reduced to 10 minutes, a logistics revolution is expected to occur on the island of Sicily, boosting the tourism industry,' reported the British Guardian.
Conversely, there is a strong voice of concern regarding the straw effect, where dwindling capital and talent are flowing out to the mainland. Sicily is among the regions with the highest youth unemployment rates in Italy. Experts pointed out, 'If there is no concurrent investment to create quality jobs and expand the industrial base within Sicily, the bridge will merely become a channel for talented young individuals to leave for northern metropolitan areas like Rome or Milan.'
With such complex interests intertwined, the Messina Daekyo bridge project has been adrift for over 50 years. Suddenly, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's cabinet has begun to push this project. The Meloni cabinet has cited security logic as a reason for constructing the bridge. Recently, NATO member countries decided to increase defense spending to 5% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump. Of this, 1.5% can be used for 'security-enhancing infrastructure' such as roads and ports for troop transport. The Italian government claims that the Messina Daekyo is a 'strategic asset that allows for the rapid movement of personnel and equipment to Sicily, where NATO's southern front key base is located.'
However, there is a clear perception among NATO and the European Union (EU) that this is an Italian ploy, suggesting that instead of paying NATO defense expenses, they should expand their own facilities. Currently, NATO's top priority is strengthening the Eastern European defense line against the Russian threat. Sicily, being much closer to North Africa than Europe, has no relevance to the Eastern European front. Angelo Bonelli, a member of Italy's Green Party, criticized the construction of this bridge as 'a massive show that wastes national resources.'
Once completed, the Messina Daekyo will become the world's longest suspension bridge, with a distance between its main towers (span length) of 3.3 km. However, there are significant technical challenges to overcome before completion. The Messina Strait is a seismic zone that witnessed the devastating Messina earthquake in 1908, claiming over 100,000 lives. The construction project for the Messina Daekyo has been awarded to the consortium Eurolink, led by the Italian infrastructure group Webuild. A Webuild representative stated in an AP interview, 'There are many successful cases of large suspension bridges built in seismically active regions like Japan, Turkey, and California, and we will emphasize safety with world-class seismic design.'