ROME - Less than six weeks before the official opening of Expo 2015 in Milan the majority of construction sites are still ‘work in progress,’ facing delays, technical issues and unfulfilled promises, which are putting the overall universal exposition at stake, Expo sources say.

The arrest of seven managers, in a corruption probe by the administration of an external commissioner - Raffaele Cantone - has not helped nor accelerated the completion of the international showcase event in Milan that will begin on May 1.

According to latest figures on Expo’s website, only 9% of the overall buildings are finished, with another 9% currently being trialled. 6% have been suspended and 74% are still works in progress.

These are horrific numbers if we consider that Expo 2015 is expected to welcome over 20 million visitors, cover - with its giant exhibition site - one million square metres, run for 184 days and, most importantly that it has already sold 8 million tickets.

But the worst is yet to come. Taking for granted that there will be mayor delays, there is already a so-called ‘camouflage’ plan announced by Expo spa, which involves the use of pre-emptive patches to cover the unfinished areas. Some would describe this as a desperate ‘covert operation’ that will cost approximately, according to Il Fatto Quotidiano, 100 euros per square meter. If this is the case, the total cost of the ‘camouflage’ will amount to 1 million (the unfinished areas which will need cover number around 11,000 square metres).

At the moment, if we divide Expo into 24 mayor parts, only two of them have been completed, respectively the ‘Campo Base’ and ‘Expo Centre’. While, Palazzo Italia - the host’s pavilion - will only be ready by April 18, the foundations of some foreign pavilions will only be ready by August 1, after a delay of almost three months. This is an unacceptable truth, considering that Milan was chosen - by the BIE (Bureau International des Expositions) - to hold Expo 2015 on March 31, 2008.

However, Expo 2015 is not only characterised by delays and technical issues but also unfulfilled promises. According to the 2008 Expo project presented to BIE, by now there were supposed to be 3 new underground lines (M-4, M-5, M-6), none of which will be completed before May. Indeed, M-4 has been stopped for technical problems, M-5 will be finished during the Expo and M-6 has not even started. Also, the construction of two mayor highways (Zara-Expo and Rho-Monza) intended to ease connections between the Milan and Expo’s site has been suspended. The former will be completed after the inauguration of the event and the latter at an unknown later date.

  It is therefore difficult to predict whether or not Expo 2015 will be a success or a gigantic failure. The reality shows a deep-rooted Italian problem, in other words, Italy’s inability to keep corruption out of its business, mostly in mayor public works. This could well condemn Italians - as a whole - to public embarrassment as well as facing a mayor waste of public money. As Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, later stated “ with Expo 2015 Italy’s credibility is at stake”.  For once we should recognise that.