Italy’s government has announced plans to count the €11 billion cost of the long-proposed Strait of Messina bridge—linking mainland Italy with Sicily—as part of its defence budget, to help meet NATO’s ambitious new target of spending 5% of GDP on military-related expenditures.
Under a final agreement reached last week, NATO members pledged to spend 3.5% of GDP on core military capabilities by 2035, with an additional 1.5% going toward broader security, such as critical infrastructure.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her government are seeking creative ways to boost defence spending without increasing borrowing. By reclassifying major infrastructure projects as “dual-use” defence assets, they aim to meet NATO goals using planned public works.
Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini previously earmarked approximately €13.5 billion for the project, slated to begin construction this summer.
The Messina Bridge would stretch some 3.6 km (2.2 miles), potentially becoming the world’s longest suspension bridge. Proponents argue it will dramatically improve military logistics—allowing for faster movement of troops and equipment to Sicily’s bases—and bolster regional economic development.
Critics question whether NATO will accept such an interpretation.
The Meloni government’s move is similar to the one being prepared by the Labour government in the UK, where broadband upgrades, bridge repairs, and even Heathrow’s third runway will be reclassified as defence spending under Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s new vision for national security. This will allow the UK to get closer to NATO’s spending target without injecting significant new public funds.
