** Genoa Archbishop Marco Tasca led a memorial mass today at San Bartolomeo della Certosa church, honoring the 43 victims of the Morandi Bridge collapse on August 14, 2018. The service, held at 10:45 a.m. adjacent to the newly inaugurated “Memorial 14.08.2018,” initiated a day of commemorations organized by Genoa City Council and the Morandi Bridge Victims’ Relatives Committee.
Attendees included victims’ families, Deputy Transport Minister Edoardo Rixi, Liguria Region President Marco Bucci, Genoa Mayor Silvia Salis, Prefect Cinzia Torraco, and Lombardy Region Vice President Marco Alparone.
In a message to Mayor Salis, Italian President Sergio Mattarella called the collapse “a stark reminder of public and private responsibilities regarding infrastructure safety,” marking “a point of no return” from practices that caused the disaster. He praised the swift reconstruction of the Genoa San Giorgio Bridge as “an act of rebirth,” stressing that “infrastructure protection demands zero negligence to ensure full safety.” Mattarella described the tragedy as “an indelible wound” for Genoa and Italy, noting the nation’s solidarity and emergency response. “The Republic stands with the families’ grief,” he concluded.
Equal Opportunities Minister Alessandra Locatelli echoed the sentiment, calling it “an unhealed wound” and emphasizing the need for “clarity and justice” for victims, survivors, and displaced residents. She thanked first responders for their courage. The commemoration now centers on Pillar 9—the collapse’s epicenter at 11:36 a.m. on August 14.
Senate President Ignazio La Russa acknowledged the nation’s “enduring pain and questions,” noting the new bridge symbolizes “redemption” but “cannot fill the void of lost lives.” Chamber of Deputies President Lorenzo Fontana praised Genoa’s “courageous response.”
Mayor Salis urged swift action on compensation agreements with highway operator ASPI, citing Transport Minister Matteo Salvini’s commitment to join negotiations. She criticized ASPI’s potential fund reallocation of €1.4 billion, warning it threatens critical maintenance for Genoa’s aging infrastructure. “Genoa deserves owed compensation and future safety. We won’t retreat on this,” Salis declared, stressing institutions must prioritize “long-term security over immediate consensus.”
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