ROME - The tragedy in Genoa has driven a rift between Italy’s Five Star Movement and Italy’s League, in terms of ending motorway concession and also allegations that the previous government was financed by the Benetton family, political sources said on Friday.

 On one hand, the leader of the anti-establishment M5S and Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio is adamant about revoking the concession held by Autostrade, the concessionaire for toll motorways whom he considers responsible for the bridge collapse, whilst Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Salvini from the far-right party League has adopted a more cautious approach.

 Di Maio said “I say it clearly, there is clear political will; we want to withdraw the concession to Autostrade per l’Italia. We cannot continue to pretend that nothing has happened. These people continue to charge a toll without carrying out basic maintenance and now it’s time to say enough!” He then added that “they have written that the government is hesitating – this is false, the government is speeding up and will withdraw the concession.” Salvini, when questioned on the matter, said only that “we will speak about it later.”

 Di Maio continued during an interview on Radio 24 that “I don’t feel humanely capable to meet with the leaders of the Edizioni Srl, the society of the Benetton family that owns Atlantia, namely Autostrade per l’Italia. I say it with all my heart, because the situation has made me so angry. The truth is that in the net profits that these societies make in this monopolising regime angers everybody.” He explained, “a lot of money could have been invested in safety, whilst instead it was placed in bonds. It means that when we put our streets and the safety of our families in the hands of private companies, they always prefer profit.”

 Di Maio has also alleged that previous governments might have received money from the Benetton family during the electoral campaigns; this family control Atlantia, an operator of nearly two thirds of Italy’s motorways.

 However, Italy’s ex-prime minister Matteo Renzi and the secretary of the Democratic Party Maurizio Martina have furiously rejected the claim, stating that they never received any likening the accusations to behaviour of paramilitary fascists. “Whoever, like Luigi di Maio, says that my government has taken money from Benetton or Autrostrade is technically telling a lie. They either say it for political reasons or else they are lying cheats. In any case truth is stronger than gossip; my government has not taken a cent from those men, they have not paid for my electoral campaigns, nor any of the others. To use a tragedy to attack one’s opponents, whilst lying, gives the sense of the deputy prime-minister’s moral and political character.”

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