President Ciampi Visits Alta Garda for Landmark Tunnel Inauguration
He will leave with a basket containing the most significant products of the Alta Garda land: oil and lemons. It could only be this way—the decision made by the lemon-growers’ administrators—who, at 6 p.m. today, will welcome the President of the Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, his wife Franca, and his entourage. Coming by helicopter from Verona, the President will reach Alto Garda and stroll along the lakeside promenade of Limone.
Visit Program and Main Event
Then he will board — as per the program — the historic motor ship «Italia» of Navigarda, built in 1902, which will set course for Riva. A visit that, though unofficial, is highly appreciated and excites Mayor Battista Martinelli. The mayor will welcome the Head of State alongside Prefect Anna Maria Cancellieri and the Provincial President Alberto Cavalli.
President Ciampi will leave a lasting impression with his brief visit that, despite its brevity, takes on extraordinary significance in these parts — not only because it’s rare to remember a visit by other heads of state here. The President will dine in Riva, but only after — however — unveiling the ribbon of what has been, for years, the most desired public work in the northern lake area: the new tunnel inside Mount Rocchetta, between Riva and Limone.
Details on the New Tunnel and Construction Work
Starting tomorrow, this tunnel will enable a connection between our province and Trentino, at a strategic point crucial for traffic flow. The tunnel, recently completed, measures just under a kilometer and involved about seventy workers operating day and night without interruption.
According to everyone, the work carried out by Provincia di Trento was completed in record time. The construction site was handed over to the Collini-Oberosler company on March 1st, and as of this evening, the work is finished, though still in raw form: the contract stipulated completion by July 27th.
The cost for the tunnel is 22 billion lire, while the full finishing works (including reinforced concrete formwork, lighting, and final ventilation systems) are estimated to cost over 45 billion lire. The finishing works will be completed during the winter.
As per the schedule, Ciampi is expected to stay at the new tunnel for only a few minutes needed for the inauguration, with no speeches planned. His visit will officially become public on Monday in Trento, the same city where he will spend the night after dining at the Du Lac hotel in Riva del Garda.
The menu for the dinner remains a top secret, which the President is expected to enjoy with only a very small group of people — around twenty. For weeks, there have been rumors about President’s visit (or rather, passing through) Limone and Riva, as Bresciaoggi had long anticipated.
However, the certainty came in the last 48 hours, preceded by helicopters from the security service circling over the lake. And only in the very latest hours was the official confirmation of the Presidential visit provided to local authorities.
Reception in Riva
In Riva, the Head of State will be welcomed by Mayor Malossini, Provincial President Dellai, and the Government Commissioner Alberto De Muro, along with the Alpini band.
