The opposition to the PSD/CDS-PP leadership in the Lisbon City Council today criticized the departure of Mayor Carlos Moedas (PSD) from an extraordinary meeting concerning the accident involving the Glória elevator, resulting in its interruption. Carlos Moedas left the municipal meeting at noon to meet with the Health Minister for an update on the injured from the derailment of the Glória elevator, which occurred on Wednesday, causing 16 deaths and injuring several people of various nationalities.
The extraordinary session, initiated at 9:30 AM to discuss measures regarding the accident, was paused at 1:00 PM and scheduled to resume at 2:30 PM for voting on proposals from PSD/CDS, PS, and PCP.
PS councilor Pedro Anastácio stated that Carlos Moedas “abandoned the meeting” and lamented his absence in discussing “a situation of such seriousness,” stressing the session should have occurred sooner and noting many aspects still need clarification.
What are the parties proposing after the elevator tragedy?
The PS proposes measures for victim support, ensuring “transparency and comprehensive, swift clarification” about the accident, guaranteeing confidence in Lisbon’s city equipment, and establishing a memorial for the victims.
The socialist party expressed willingness to reach a consensus, highlighting shared points between PS and PSD/CDS-PP. During Carlos Moedas’s interview with SIC on Sunday, Pedro Anastácio requested a public retraction from Moedas for the “particularly insulting and unacceptable” remark attacking the memory of former minister Jorge Coelho concerning his resignation following the Entre-os-Rios tragedy.
The PCP’s João Ferreira also proposed victim support and investigation into causes and responsibilities, suggesting a “commission of evaluation with members from municipal services Carris, worker representative organizations, and scientific and technological institutions” to reinforce elevator inspection and maintenance conditions.
The communist noted that Carris’s president’s responses during the meeting “did not clear all doubts,” as some questions still lack answers, emphasizing a need for clearer definitions of existing redundancies, “possibly proposing new elements to enhance safety.”
The PCP further suggests evaluating necessary conditions for future internalization of maintenance services within Carris, aiming to reverse the outsourcing process, while employees have previously alerted about elevator maintenance and safety issues: “Some of the alerts were public.”
Rui Tavares, from Livre, insisted that “the causes and political consequences” of the accident must be examined hierarchically, emphasizing that “it cannot be claimed things went well, as this accident should not have happened.”
The Livre councilor accused Carlos Moedas of diverting attention to discussing technicalities about the Glória elevator’s cabin 1 responsibility, arguing that “tourism negligence precisely leads to such accidents.”
“There are safety issues not being adequately addressed by the Lisbon City Council,” Rui Tavares criticized, condemning “a pattern of a mayor focusing on vanity projects over essential projects for city life” such as waste and public lighting.
Ricardo Moreira from Bloco de Esquerda criticized Carlos Moedas for appearing to believe “everything went well and considers himself not responsible at all,” calling it “absolutely unacceptable” that Moedas said it went well and “fled” the council meeting.
The blocist highlighted that elevator usage in Lisbon increased by “over 50% between 2022 and 2024,” whereas Carris launched a maintenance contract this year priced “30% lower than in 2022.”
“Clearly, with more maintenance and inspection, this would not have happened […]. Carlos Moedas bears political responsibility and avoids it like the devil avoids the cross,” declared the BE councilor.
Rui Franco from Cidadãos Por Lisboa (elected via PS/Livre coalition) criticized Moedas for going “on the offensive at a time when the entire opposition was careful not to mix critical evaluation with the victims’ tribute.”
Facing scrutiny, Rui Franco pointed out that the Lisbon municipality’s “primary responsibility failed” to ensure equipment safety, noting that maintenance and inspection protocols were recently reassumed by the mayor, “but proved insufficient.”
“We repeatedly identified failures and non-compliance in various equipment needing recovery and improvement,” said the councilor, emphasizing that these interventions “have not been completed and are still pending today.”
