President Meloni’s statement on fifth anniversary of the Morandi Bridge collapse

"On the fifth anniversary of the Morandi Bridge collapse, we feel renewed grief for the forty-three lives that were cut short in a tragedy that struck the heart of Genoa, Liguria and the whole of Italy.
The forty-three victims, the suffering of their loved ones and the hardships faced by evacuees will forever remain etched in our memory, just as we will never forget the heroic rescuers and the tireless efforts of so many who, during those dramatic hours and days, bore witness to the great ability of Italians to devote themselves to others. The proud reaction of the Genoese, which provided a decisive boost to the city’s reconstruction and rebirth, is an equally powerful example of our ability as a people to never let difficulties get in our way, no matter how extreme, and of our ability to get back on our feet. Thanks to this strength, cooperation among institutions and the best talents of Italy’s entrepreneurial system, the ‘Genoa model’ was born, which made it possible to mend the rift caused by the Morandi Bridge collapse in record time, with the construction of the new Genoa San Giorgio Bridge.
However, the Morandi Bridge tragedy raised many questions that still remain unanswered. The anger, pain and desire for justice felt by the victims' families are sacrosanct and deserve our utmost respect. To all those who lost a child, a parent, a loved one, everything, on 14 August 2018, we today renew the State’s due apologies for what happened, although we are aware that no words will ever be enough to ease their suffering and quench their thirst for justice.
The Morandi Bridge collapse trial is ongoing. The justice system is at work and, as is the case for all Italians, we trust in the work of the judicial officers. It is our hope that the full truth can emerge and that it will be ascertained and proven who was responsible for the disaster, because it would be truly unforgivable for this national tragedy to remain unpunished”.

[Courtesy translation]