The government this Thursday considered that “there is no point” in a referendum on regionalization envisaged in the program of the executive, taking into account the PSD’s “change of position” on this issue, and defended a broad consensus on the subject.
“This is, of course, the result of a change of position by the leader of the main opposition party [Luís Montenegro, PSD]. That is why it makes no sense at the moment to talk about a referendum.”Territorial Cohesion Minister Ana Abrunhosa told journalists during Thursday’s press conference at the Council of Ministers in Faro.
The Government Program indicates that, after the decentralization of powers, the election of the leaders of the Coordination Commissions and Regional Development Commissions (CCDR) and the strengthening of the role of these entities, the intention is to “on the basis of an evaluation of the reform of the CCDR, serenely and responsibly enter into the debate on the regionalization process in the coming years, with the aim of holding a new referendum on this issue in 2024”.
In July last year, the PSD leader extended his objection to a referendum on regionalization until the end of the legislature.
“I am absolutely against holding a referendum in 2024 so that no mistakes are made. Municipalities or in 2026 with presidential and parliamentary elections given the chance,” Luís Montenegro said.
Months later, in November, Montenegro defended that “it would be a catastrophe” for the PS to do with regionalization what it did with decentralization of powers and that discussion of administrative reform “is not opportune”.
Thursday’s Council of Ministers approved the restructuring of the CCDR, which will be given the status of special public institutions, with the aim of starting to decentralize the powers of the central administration.
“One day, when these entities prove that they were the right path we took for the reorganization of the state and to better serve the citizens, and that we had monetary, rationality, efficiency and quality gains, it will say Portuguese one day if you want to take that step [da regionalização]”added Ana Abrunhosa when asked if the government is sticking to the intention of a plebiscite on regionalization.
Moments earlier, Presidency Minister Mariana Vieira da Silva also spoke on the subject, arguing that the referendum is a step that can only be taken with “wider consultation and not just by the government or a single party” .
“The next steps, and especially those of the referendum, always, as we have always said, need a broader consensus and will only develop if that consensus exists or when that consensus exists”he added.
As part of the Government + Next initiative, several members of the executive visited the Algarve’s 16 municipalities between Wednesday and today, in a program of some 60 initiatives.
The meeting of the Council of Ministers took place this Thursday at the headquarters of CCDR do Algarve, in Faro.
Source: DN
