With parishes without resources, Portugal will only have “an illusion of decentralization”, says Marcelo | Parishes
The President of the Republic considered this Friday that the decentralization of competences from municipalities to the parishes made with “common sense, imbalance, means” because if so and it should not be, it is an “illusion of centralization”.
“The decentralization [dos municípios para as freguesias] must be done, with a good sense of openness, parish and looking at the ability of parishes, effectively, to be able to exercise the powers that are transferred”, said Marcelo Rebelo in the capacity of the XVIII Congress of the National Association (Anafre) that runs until Sunday, in Braga.
Faced with a full room, the head of state stressed that decentralization without resources is a “false decentralization, it is an illusion of decentralization”.
“Decentralization also has its optimal time, this optimal time implies taking safe but fast steps”, he underlined.
Not that the centrality for the municipalities, Marcel Rebelo de Sousa of the Respected State, has yet to disbelieve there are steps to respect for the State, given that they can assume an area of extension of the deadline, namely in the possibility of proceeding.
In his opinion, it is “very important” that these steps are taken, especially not that they respect the social aspect, because this conditions the entire decentralization process”.
“The decentralization process is not a favor of the State, it is a constitutional obligation. The State does no favors, neither the parliamentary majorities, nor the governments by consecrating, in a broader way, the local power understood.
An access Anafre began this Monday in Braga its XVIII Congress, following the municipal interventions, where about a thousand mayors contested topics such as new competences, administrative reorganization and community funds.
The congress, under the motto “Freguesias 20/30 Valorizar Portugal”, should re-elect socialist Jorge Veloso as president of Anafre, who heads the consensus list that will approve the approval of congressmen.
The meeting takes place at the Altice Forum in Braga, between this Friday and Sunday, and has about a thousand delegates registered, representing the 3,092 Portuguese parishes.
