Porto Mayor Rui Moreira said on Thursday that the measures of the Mais Habitação program reflect “absolute centralism” and a “total inconsistency” with the decentralization process.
“(The government) says that commerce and services can be converted into housing. Coincidentally, the Porto Municipal Master Plan (PDM) allows this, but there are PDM that do not allow it. So now the government will override the democratically approved PDM” This is objectively a case of absolute centralism. If the minister says that, with regard to old rents, these buildings will not have IMI while IMI is a municipal income, don’t you think that is centralism?”said Rui Moreira.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of an extraordinary joint meeting of the city councils for economy and tourism, the mayor of Porto also stated that the new package of measures represents a “total inconsistency with the decentralization process”.
“Objectively, the government is taking over responsibilities that previously belonged to the municipalities”he stressed.
The Mais Habitação program was approved by the Council of Ministers and will be publicly discussed for a month. The proposals will go back to the Council of Ministers for final approval on March 16, after which some measures still have to be passed by the Assembly of the Republic.
Source: DN
