This archive report was first published on 28 July 2019.
On July 26, Italy made a crucial commitment to the European Union, pledging to complete a rail link with France. This decision was welcomed by European Parliament President David Sassoli, who described it as 'good news' in a tweet on Saturday.
The rail link, known as Treno Alta Velocità (TAV), will connect the French city of Lyon with Turin in northern Italy. However, the project has been contentious, with the 5-Star Movement opposing it, arguing that Italy should focus on upgrading its existing transport network.
Coalition partner, the League, has favored completing the link, which has led to a divide within the governing coalition. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte recently stated that blocking work on the rail link would cost Rome more than completing it, suggesting that the works would be unblocked.
Italy had to make clear its stance on the project by the July 26 deadline set by the EU. A large protest was held on Saturday against the project in Piedmont, where the main railway tunnel for the TAV is being excavated. Police fired tear gas when a group of protesters tried to force security blocks and reach the entrance to the TAV construction site, according to ANSA newswire.
