video report: Alessandra Ressa
Though not formally on the agenda, the proposed Trieste-Opicina cable car project once again dominated proceedings during a heated city council session on Monday. Inside and outside the council chambers, tensions ran high as both elected officials and residents weighed in on the controversial infrastructure plan, which continues to face legal and public resistance.
Councilor Riccardo Laterza of the progressive civic group Adesso Trieste raised questions regarding a recent trip made by city official Antonio Bernetti to the Interalpin trade fair in Innsbruck, Austria. The event, which focuses on alpine technologies, was sponsored in part by Leitner, the company awarded the contract to build the cable car system. The project is currently facing five pending legal challenges in the Regional Administrative Court (TAR).
“Bernetti was authorized by the municipality to participate in what is considered an internationally significant event,” responded City Planning Councillor Elisa Lodi, defending the official’s presence at the fair.
Outside Trieste’s City Hall in Piazza Unità, a group of citizens gathered in a peaceful demonstration organized by the No Ovovia committee, a grassroots movement opposed to the cable car. In a statement, the group said the rally was intended to raise awareness following developments in the city council’s Sixth Committee, which recently voted to approve an urban planning amendment for the project without discussing more than 3,100 public objections submitted by residents and opposition parties.
“The way the committee has responded to these objections—grouping them by general content and offering generic answers—shows a superficial approach to complex issues,” the statement read. “It also reveals a disregard for those who have attempted to raise legitimate concerns about the assumptions underpinning the project.”
The group further announced it would step up its activities beyond attending council debates and issuing statements. “We will continue to inform the public and organize mobilizations as needed to ensure that the rule of law is respected—especially by those tasked with upholding it,” the statement concluded.
The cable car, envisioned as a sustainable solution to Trieste’s transportation challenges, has drawn sharp criticism from environmental advocates, residents of affected neighborhoods, and several opposition politicians. Critics cite concerns ranging from ecological impact to transparency in the approval process.
As the legal challenges proceed and local dissent remains active, the future of the project—and how it is managed by municipal authorities—continues to stir political and civic debate across the city.
