(ANSA) - Rome, February 15 - A European Commission
spokesperson on Friday called on the Italian government to
clarify its stance with regard to the TAV Turin-Lyon high-speed
rail link project.
The Italian transport and infrastructure minister this week
published a new cost-benefit analysis of the TAV that gave the
project the thumbs down.
The 5-Star Movement (M5S) has long been against the TAV and
wants it ditched.
But Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, the
head of the League, the M5S's coalition partner, has said he
thinks the project should go ahead and is not convinced by the
new analysis.
So the future of the project is uncertain.
"We have no comments about the content of the cost-benefit
analysis but the Commission was clear with the Italian
authorities about the need for further clarification about how
Italy intends to respect the financing agreement," said a
spokesperson for Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc.
"It remains an important project for Italy, France and the EU
as a trans-European project and to reinforce cohesion".
The spokesperson also said it was impossible to rule out the
hypothesis that Italy could be asked to return the European
funding it has received for the project if it is halted.
EU calls on Italy to clarify TAV position
Commission spokesperson says project remains necessary