In a statement to journalists at the Assembly of the Republic, Eurico Brilhante Dias criticized what he described as the government’s “persistent stubbornness” in not declaring a state of calamity, fearing that this decision “might undermine effective support to populations and businesses affected by the fires.”
“Populations need support. The government stubbornly refuses to declare the state of calamity, (…) we earnestly hope that this stubbornness, along with the poor coordination in fighting the fires, poor prevention, and inadequate preparation for the fire season, does not place these vulnerable populations, after these fires, in even more difficult circumstances,” he insisted.
The leader of the socialist parliamentary group responded to measures approved by the government in the Council of Ministers on Thursday to support populations affected by forest fires and to statements by the Prime Minister, who saw no need to declare a state of calamity.
When asked about the Prime Minister’s announced intention to agree with the parties on a pact for forest management, Brilhante Dias found it “unusual that this proposal occurs” while the country still faces “very difficult circumstances in fighting the fires,” adding that “this is a moment of combat.”
Eurico Brilhante Dias also announced that the PS posed three additional questions to the government, in addition to the four already announced by Secretary-General José Luís Carneiro on Thursday, regarding the implementation of measures created during the socialist governments led by António Costa.
The PS questioned the government about the reasons for not launching the Forest Voucher – a measure to support land cleaning – in 2024 and for its late launch in June this year, the reasons for allowing the Safe Village program to “exhaust its budget,” and requested explanations on why the Land Bank and Land Mobilization Fund, approved by parliament in 2023, had not been implemented.
José Luís Carneiro had already announced questions related to the reform of rural property, the creation of Village Condominiums, Integrated Landscape Management Areas, and the implementation of fuel interruption strips.
Since July, mainland Portugal has been affected by multiple large rural fires, particularly in the North and Center regions.
The fires have resulted in three deaths, including a firefighter, and several injuries, some severe, and have partially or fully destroyed primary and secondary homes, as well as agricultural and livestock operations and forest areas.
