Italy minister warns of crisis if coalition doesn't settle Atlantia dispute - paper

A government crisis would be "inevitable" if the ruling coalition does not reach an agreement on how to settle a dispute with infrastructure group Atlantia over its motorway concession, Italy's deputy transport minister said on Thursday. Rome has been threatening to strip Atlantia's unit Autostrade per l'Italia (Aspi) of its lucrative toll road licence since the fatal collapse in 2018 of a bridge in Genoa, which killed 43 people.

A government crisis would be "inevitable" if the ruling coalition does not reach an agreement on how to settle a dispute with infrastructure group Atlantia over its motorway concession, Italy's deputy transport minister said on Thursday.

Rome has been threatening to strip Atlantia's unit Autostrade per l'Italia (Aspi) of its lucrative toll road licence since the fatal collapse in 2018 of a bridge in Genoa, which killed 43 people. "We would have a big problem. The risk of a crisis would be inevitable if a solution is not found over the next week," Giancarlo Cancelleri told daily la Repubblica in an interview when asked what would happen if an agreement within the government would not be reached.

Within the ruling coalition the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement - Cancelleri's party - has led calls for revoking the licence while its governing ally, the center-left PD party, has urged caution, fearing a multi-billion compensation claim against the state. Cancelleri urged Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to soon call a cabinet meeting in order for all government members to discuss the matter. He reiterated that the 5-Star party was pushing for a cut in Atlantia's stake in Aspi and for a reduction in tolls.

On Wednesday, Conte said the long-running dispute would be settled by the end of the week. "It has been dragging for too long, I agree. So, either we get an offer (from Atlantia) which is particularly advantageous... or we press ahead with the revocation," Conte was quoted as saying at Italy's Embassy in Madrid on Wednesday by several Italian dailies.

A key meeting between Italy's economy and infrastructure ministers and Atlantia top managers is expected on Thursday. Late on Wednesday Italy's highest court said that a law excluding Atlantia, led by the Benetton family, from the reconstruction work on the bridge that collapsed was not unlawful.