Over €4.2 million more for construction and planning, another €1.8 million in municipal resources, and a €736,000 increase for the temporary market in Piazza Nazzari. But the schedule is also a cause for concern: the reopening of the San Benedetto market could be postponed to 2028, a year later than originally planned. These are the issues at the heart of the question submitted on September 17 by City Councilor Giuseppe Farris , CiviCa24, to Councilor Marcialis. A month after the submission of the document, the councilor complains about the lack of a response.
" I didn't ask generic questions. I formulated 18 specific questions to clarify the costs, design changes, progress of the work, and the timeline for reopening one of Cagliari's most iconic sites ," Farris emphasizes.
The first issue concerns the increase in the contract amount for works, safety, and design, which, according to the data reported in the question, increased from approximately €20.77 million to €25.02 million , an increase of more than 20 percent. The councilor asks to know what additional work has led to the increased expenditure and why new design requirements have emerged despite the integrated contract already including the final and executive design.
"I asked what contractual and regulatory basis was used to award the higher sums to the winning company. This is not a minor issue: we're talking about millions of euros in public resources," the councilor emphasized, also seeking clarification on the contractual changes and their financial consequences.
The most delicate issue, however, remains the timing. The tender stipulated a total duration of 635 days for the design and execution of the works. Yet, according to the municipal planning cited in the question, the market is scheduled to reopen in 2028, a year later than originally planned . This delay would prolong the wait for traders, who were relocated to the temporary facility in Piazza Nazzari in March 2025.
Farris then asks to know the updated contractual date for the completion of the work, any extensions or suspensions that have occurred, and the reasons for the delay. "Traders have the right to know when they will be able to return to their markets. Citizens have the right to know how public resources are being used," the councilor states, also emphasizing the need for the City Council to be able to fully exercise its oversight function. For now, no response has been received from Public Works Councilor Yuri Marcialis , who will respond to the councilor's question in the council chamber.
(Unioneonline/En.Ne.)