Portugal’s Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, addressed attendees at the Festa do Pontal in Quarteira, starting with gratitude to all present and highlighting that the gathering, “conviviality, is always a moment of joy.”
“This year, particularly, we all know, and we do not forget: we do not forget our fellow citizens who, during these days, hours, at this very moment, are faced with the scourge, tragedy, that has been afflicting us, due to particularly difficult and adverse meteorological circumstances, often due to lack of care and negligence,” he stated.
Montenegro declared that Portugal was making its “maximum effort” to combat the flames and also acknowledged the efforts of authorities and “all those who have been contributing their effort in a fight that is unequal.”
“We are doing it in a perhaps discreet manner, but believe me: very closely. Seeking to be as effective and efficient as possible. We are utilizing everything possible after preparation from a prevention standpoint,” he said, adding in terms of firefighting, particularly regarding allocation: “I will not evaluate this. We are in the midst of a war and we are not going to have that discussion in the middle of it—first, we win the war, first save people, heritage, and country. We will be here to do even better in the future.”
And beyond the fires?
In Quarteira, Montenegro also addressed the housing issue, pointing to the “various” measures already taken but emphasizing that the State should not give up on the “construction of public housing, making public housing available for rent.”
[News in development]
