Here are some facts to be considered when thinking about a Malta - Gozo bridge.

Gozo has an area of 67 square kilometres with a population of 37,000. It is separated from Malta (population 400,000) by the Malta Channel, between 4.5 and 6.7 kilometres wide.

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean with an area of 25,711 square kilometres (383 times that of Gozo) with a population of five million (135 times that of Gozo). It is separated from the landmass of the rest of Europe by the Straits of Messina, between three and 16 kilometres wide.

The building of a bridge across the Straits of Messina had been debated for decades. It is now being considered, at a cost of about €6 billion. The Malta Channel bridge is being proposed at a cost of €1 billion and an annual maintenance cost of €4 million. Where does one go from here?

Should one be practical, accept that we would be joining two of the smaller islands of the Mediterranean and do nothing or indulge in what may be a folie du grandeur and build a bridge that may have a major negative environmental impact on our islands?

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