03/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - Democratici di sinistra MEP Saverio Pittella has commented in a press release on the choices made by the high-level group chaired by Karel Van Miert on trans-European transport networks, welcoming the inclusion of the "soon to be famous 'Corridoio 5', which is vital to our country's transport and economy" among the priority projects. This was a reference to the Lyons-Genoa-Basel-Duisberg-Rotterdam-Anvers corridor (see EUROPE of 1 July, p.8). However, the MEP feels that the Van Miert group has chosen "too many" priorities. If you identify 22 priority projects, "you run the risk once again of ending up with major unfinished works", warned Mr Pittella. The MEP also criticised the absence of "Corridor 8" from the priorities: the Adriatic corridor which, he says, carries greater economic consequences than the bridge over the Messina Straits (which was retained by the high-level group, and which was "a highly popular choice with the Italian government"). He also commented that the exclusion of this report seems to contradict the "prospects for co-operation in the Balkans".