The President of the Republic warned the Minister of Territorial Cohesion today that he will be “very considerate” and not forgive her if he discovers that the implementation rate of European funds is not what he thinks it should be.
In Trofa, on the day the town hall of a municipality founded 24 years ago was inaugurated, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa began his speech by addressing Ana Abrunhosa to whom he said he wanted to say “two things”.
“And because I haven’t had a chance to say it, I’m saying it today. When we accept political positions, we know it’s for good or bad. We’re not obligated to accept it. We know they’re hard.” “They are difficult, that they are subject to scrutiny and increasing control – that’s what democracy is – and there are good days and bad days, happy days and unhappy days. The ratio is two happy days for 10 unlucky days,” he said.
And he continued, still addressed to the minister, with a warning about the spending of European funds.
“This is a super happy day, but there are super unlucky days. And really super unlucky for you will be the day when I discover that the execution rate of European funds is not what I think it should be. In that case I will That’s not ‘I forgive you, I hope that day doesn’t come, but I’ll be on my guard in case it does,” he said.
Later, after visiting the Paços do Concelho building, he clarified: “I thought of the PRR [Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência] because the rest I know is moving forward. But the PRR is a lot of money that we can use, and it takes time to get to your destination,” says Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
On the side, the Minister of Territorial Cohesion, who did not want to speak on the sidelines, nodded to journalists and said: “Everything is under control”.
On Friday, the President of the Republic had already argued that in the current situation, the use of European funds, namely the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), is “urgent” and “unforgivable” if not done in time.
“We need to take full advantage of factors that, despite everything, are currently favorable. A favorable favor is the availability of funds intended to partially compensate for the pandemic, which are available in a period of war,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa during the ceremony on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Solverde group.
“Which makes it urgent to use these funds on time. And of course unforgivable when time passes and there is no time commitment,” he noted.
Refuses to comment on constitutional reform but leaves warnings
The president of the republic again declined to talk about the constitutional revision, a process in which he says he is “scratching nothing”, but reiterated the warning about the need to “get everything right” in the health emergency.
“I had no problems of conscience regarding the state of emergency regime, but let’s hope there are no more pandemics. But if there are, it’s good to have everything right, because the state of emergency has been adapted for an emergency, but it wasn’t designed for that,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who, when pressed, immediately warned that he would not talk about constitutional reform.
“The president of the republic ‘does not scratch’ at constitutional reforms. He can make life easier in some things,” he said.
And in addition to the health emergency, the head of state repeated the example of the metadata law.
“It is the case of metadata, so as not to issue diplomas that later reach the Court and conflict with the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court,” he said.
Luís Montenegro, who was urged by journalists to comment on the constitutional reform issue, also sent statements for Sunday.
The stubborn Marques Mendes, Trofa’s uncle
After a message to Minister Ana Abrunhosa, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa addressed the thousands of people of Trofenses who attended the opening ceremony of the Paços do Concelho, which had evocative and cultural moments and had guests from different political quarters. He spoke about the history of the creation of the Municipality of Trofa, by secession of Santo Tirso, both in the district of Porto, which he accompanied as leader of the opposition to the government and under the influence of the then parliamentary leader of the PSD, Luis Marques Mendes.
“The stubborn and stubborn Luís Marques Mendes who, if he is not one of the parents, deserves at least the title of Trofa’s uncle,” he said.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said the issue of the Trofa was “one of the biggest problems” he faced as leader of the PSD, in a process he had to deal with constitutional reform, joining the euro and regionalisation.
“And in between I tried to soothe Santo Tirso’s. It was a long process because the northerners are a bit stubborn. It was a long period, that one, and it went well and it was not easy to close it well. ” , the president of the republic said in a speech praising Trofa’s “persistent and passionate” people.
The head of state also spoke about the importance of local power and joked about the legacy his successor will have when he talks about the importance of closeness to the people.
“Local power is one of the examples of the strength of our democracy. It is not the only one, but it is very important (…). I don’t even compare the happiness of being president of the republic, even of being live it passionately, lucky enough to be mayor because you are even closer to the people. The president goes above and beyond to be close to the people. I want to leave this legacy to my successor, it is a kind of burden, a functional responsibility which I transfer the moment I embrace him on March 9, 2026,” he said.
With the inauguration of a new building, the municipality of Trofa is no longer the only one without a town hall. The new space costs 10.4 million euros and is located a few meters from Nossa Senhora das Dores Park, in the center of the municipality that was born 24 years ago.
The town hall of Trofa was built close to the railway and housed in an old mill. Three years passed between the launch of the work and the inauguration.
Until now, the municipal services were spread over 17 different areas.
Source: DN
