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  • Genoa Bridge: torchlight processions in memory of the victims

  • Ponte Morandi, the prosecutor of Genoa closes the investigation into the collapse

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14 August 2021 Three years ago, at 11.36 on the eve of August 15th, the Polcevera viaduct of the A10 motorway, known to all as the Morandi bridge from the name of the engineer who designed it, collapsed from a height of 45 meters into the bed, on the road and on the underlying structures causing the death of 43 people, 11 injured. and over 600 displaced persons. 



With the celebration of Mass in the Basilica of Certosa, celebrated by Archbishop Marco Tasca, the ceremonies of the third anniversary of the collapse of Ponte Morandi began. In church the ministers of Justice and Infrastructure Marta Cartabia and Enrico Giovannini, with the mayor Marco Bucci, the president of the Region Giovanni Toti, relatives of the victims, common citizens. "It is really important that those who suffer never feel alone. I do not know how much it can alleviate the pain, but it is important that everyone feels committed to listening, to dialogue, to leave no stone unturned", recalled Archbishop Tasca, in homily of the mass. "In fatigue, in difficulty, in the darkening of life, the Lord Jesus seeks a relationship,as an answer to the many questions there are - continues Tasca - how many questions there are in the hearts of the families of the victims. And the answers can come from others who take care of us, seek dialogue, want to listen ".



In Sampierdarena, Cornigliano and Certosa, the areas most affected by the collapse, Genoa recalled that tragic day. Many marched under the viaduct in the pedestrian path named after the victims. The ministers of justice and infrastructure laid a laurel wreath in the clearing and witnessed the laying of the foundation stone of the memorial. 



Following the ceremony for the start of the construction of the Parco della Memoria, designed by the architect Stefano Boeri, with the demolition of some buildings. And the commemoration of the victims with speeches by the archbishop, the imam, the mayor, the governor, the ministers and Egle Possetti, president of the Morandi Victims Remembrance Committee. All in the area under the new bridge. At 11:36 am, the moment of the collapse of the viaduct, a minute of silence is expected and at the same time on the walkway that since last night has been named "August 14, 2018, in memory of the 43 victims of the collapse of the Morandi bridge", ordinary citizens and displaced people will launch in the Polcevera stream, 43 white roses, the launch will be accompanied by the tolling of a Tibetan bell, as happens on the 14th of each month.   



For the tragedy of the Morandi bridge, the public prosecutor of Genoa indicted 59 people, including the former managers of Aspi and the former subsidiary Spea in charge of maintenance, and the same companies. The charges, for various reasons, are of willful collapse, attack on transport safety, road homicide, multiple manslaughter, forgery, omission of official acts and willful removal of safety devices in the workplace.



Toti: "The Region evaluates to become a civil party"

"The Liguria Region is evaluating with its lawyers to appear as a civil party in the trial on the collapse of the Morandi bridge, we will certainly protect the interests of the Liguria Region in the most effective and efficient way. I believe that the constitution of a civil party is one of these ways, but I'm not a lawyer. " This was declared by the president of the Liguria Region Giovanni Toti on the sidelines of the ceremony for the third anniversary of the collapse of the Morandi bridge. "When the time comes, the Liguria Region will do everything it takes to guarantee support for an important process and above all compensation for a territory that has suffered so much", adds Toti.



Cartabia: "No risk for the trial"

In an interview with the

XIX Century

  the Minister of Justice assured that "the trial for the Morandi Bridge runs no risk", adding that she had received "legitimate concerns of the victims' families" regarding the debate on the reform of the criminal trial. Therefore he reiterated "that there has never been - I repeat, there has never been - any risk for the trial on the collapse of the Bridge. I could confidently refute the rumors that have been a cause for concern. " And again: The families of the 43 victims, Genoa and all of Italy need a word of justice on the collapse of the bridge. And we have a duty to guarantee it. "And he concludes:" Doing justice also means ensuringascertaining the facts and responsibilities within a reasonable time. This must be true for every process, starting with the one for the collapse of the bridge ".



Giovannini: "After the drama, a cultural change"

"The drama of the Genoa bridge has brought about a cultural change in favor of safety which must now be strengthened thanks to the available resources". The

Minister of Infrastructure Enrico Giovannini

says this in an interview with

La Stampa

. "In these six months of government - he explains - we have strengthened the guidelines for the analysis of the safety of bridges and tunnels, the obligations for managers to make regular and periodic investigations, drawing up a" register "of works and maintenance plans . We have relaunched and started full operations Ansfisa, the Agency for the Safety of Railways and Infrastructures, which has begun inspections, and strengthened the checks carried out by the ministry inspectors ".



And he announces the establishment of a commission that will analyze the situation of the whole network. "Our network denounces all its limitations, since it was largely built 50, 60 years ago - he specifies -. To identify the best way to tackle the different dimensions of the problem (which could easily be defined as" historical ") I have set up a commission of experts that will present its assessments within the year. In any case, securing the network requires huge investments for many years "and adds" the message that the government is sending to anyone who manages infrastructure is that we must raise the level of attention to safety and make the agreed investments ".



Casellati: "With families in their battle for justice"

"Italy restarts from the Genoa Model and from the strength of the Genoese. The speed in the reconstruction of the Morandi Bridge is an Italian miracle and a message of hope. justice". This was stated by the President of the Senate, Elisabetta Casellati, on the third anniversary of the collapse of the bridge.