The problem is Lisbon doesn’t know these regions
João Carrega – 11/07/2022 – 11:42
The second meeting of local authorities in the center gathered, in Oleiros, 18 municipalities. Decentralization, means of communication and bureaucratization are topics to be addressed at the Forum that will be held.
The meeting met 18 mayors from across the central region
Most municipalities in the central region of the country agree with the need to create the best means of communication and to reduce bureaucracy in public administration. Last Friday, in Oleiros, 18 mayors or vice-presidents, from the coast to the interior of the central area of the country, met for the second time and now appoint batteries for the realization of a regional Forum, from which a document to take to the Government.
The idea was launched by the mayor of Castelo Branco, Leopoldo Rodrigues, and accepted the agreement of the municipalities of Coimbra, Figueira da Foz, Oleiros, Sertã, Vila de Rei, Vila Velha de Ródão, Penamacor, Belmonte, Idanha-a-Nova , Cantanhede, Penacova, Figueiró dos Vinhos, Góis, Pedrógão Grande, Ancião, Pampilhosa da Serra and Proença-a-Nova.
The meeting was held, once again, by Fernando Jorge, president of the Câmara de Olhos, for whom this meeting could help the Government, since he faked this entire region. We do not want to replace the Intermunicipal Communities”. Moreover, for the mayors it would be important that their own communities could participate in future meetings. Fernando Jorge once again raised the need to create a connection (IC31) that allows the connection between Madrid and Figueira da Foz motorway.
The municipality of Oleiros warns of the need to value endogenous products and regrets the fact that companies that import in the wood sector have to be imported raw, when installed in an area of forest and pine forest. “It is not by giving us four euros per hectare that we can reorganize the forest. The central government has to pay attention to its municipalities”, he said, and then give another example: “it is not fair that you want to put solar panels in Cabril and if you want to make transfers without what the mayors had”.
Pedro Santana Lopes, former Prime Minister and current president of the Chamber of Figueira da Foz, warns of the dangers of reformulating the country’s organization. “Sometimes there is more regional than national centralism”, he said, recalling that “Lisbon’s problem is not knowing this territory. Knowing the decision process was important. If in these next five the decisions adopted are not well studied, we will be stopped next”.
The former Prime Minister considers that the airport in Montijo or Alcochete does not serve the central region. “The problem is that it is the concessionaire who influences the decisions”. Also José Manuel Silva, mayor of Coimbra, an important airport issue was once again claimed “an airport for the central region of the country. This should be put on the agenda, no matter where you are.”
Vitor Pereira, Mayor of Covilhã, addressed the issue of reorganizing the map of Intermunicipal Communities. “Covilhã and Fundão have little to do with Beiras and Serra da Estrela, but with Beira Baixa”. The outline still with the interventions of the majority of the municipalities, it was defined the accomplishment of a Forum, with a defined program, so that a document of delivery to the guardianship is approved.