Eight years after the catastrophic collapse of the Morandi Bridge on August 14, 2018, and on the very eve of the first-instance verdict, Autostrade per l’Italia (ASPI) has issued a surprise formal apology. The letter, signed by CEO Arrigo Giana - who took the helm of the highway concessionaire last year - describes the plea for forgiveness as an absolute moral obligation that stands independent of the ongoing judicial process and the final establishment of criminal liability.
In his letter, Giana addresses the families of the 43 victims, the citizens of Genoa, and the Italian public, expressing a deep desire to break years of silence. He acknowledges the indelible wounds caused by past decisions and emphasizes that the company has undergone a profound transformation. Today, ASPI is under state control, operates with entirely new shareholders, and is managed by a new leadership team dedicated to rigorous infrastructure monitoring and risk prevention.
The move marks a dramatic departure from the stance of the company's previous owners. In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, the Benetton family - then the controlling shareholders of Atlantia, which owned ASPI - remained largely silent or sought to distance themselves from operational management. It was not until 2022, during negotiations to cede control to the state, that the family offered a belated acknowledgment that they should have apologized sooner.
This historic letter arrives at a critical juncture. The massive trial in Genoa - spanning four years, 284 hearings, and involving 57 defendants - is finally reaching its conclusion. Prosecutors have requested a cumulative total of 400 years in prison. Among the most severe penalties sought is an 18-and-a-half-year sentence for former ASPI CEO Giovanni Castellucci, who is accused of cutting maintenance budgets to maximize profits, thereby accepting the risk of structural failure.