Italy's populist government favours public-private sector cooperation but the state must retain oversight of infrastructure construction and maintenance, interior minister Matteo Salvini said on Thursday after a key bridge collapsed in the northwest port city of Genoa in mid-August, killing 43 people.
"I think that the Veneto region offers a model for public-private sector joint projects, also at national level," Salvini said at the signing of a transparency document for a new highway being built near Venice.
"We are not fans either of complete nationalisation or complete privatisation, but the state cannot delegate its control function," Salvini underlined.
A Genoa court has been tasked with finding out why a 200 metre section of the 51-year-old Morandi bridge came down on 14 August, sending dozens of vehicles plunging 50 metres to the ground below.
The question of who will take charge of rebuilding the bridge is a contentious one with the government accusing privately-owned motorway network company Autostrade per l'Italia of failing to invest properly in maintaining the bridge.
