The praise from the official was made this afternoon at the entrance to the Cova da Moura neighborhood, where he participated in an initiative promoted by the candidacy of the Social Democrat Suzana Garcia, in his role as a “national leader of the PSD”.
“[Suzana Garcia] made a point of highlighting what is an absolutely dramatic problem in Amadora, but which somehow is a metaphor for what exists in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. It is a drama, and we cannot have the shack problem again, which has persisted since the 1980s until today,” he stated to journalists.
In this regard, Miguel Pinto Luz, emphasizing that he was not speaking in his role as Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, praised the PSD candidate for Amadora City’s goal of eradicating all shanties in the municipality by 2030, including the constructions in the Cova da Moura neighborhood.
“As a national leader of the PSD, I express great satisfaction with the ambitious policies the candidacy is putting in place, particularly this ambition to reach 2030, because it is good to have these commitments and goals, with 3,400 relocations completed,” he highlighted.
However, Miguel Pinto Luz refused to clarify coordination between the Government and the candidacy, insisting on the separation of roles.
“Today I am here wearing the hat of a national leader of the PSD. Politically, I have known for a long time about the ambition of Suzana Garcia and the local PSD. Another matter is as a minister having prior knowledge of the project. I had none,” he stressed.
Suzana Garcia stated that “for 12 years, not a single house has been built” in Amadora, considering “thousands of people have been forgotten by local authorities.”
“We never managed to fulfill the PER (Special Rehousing Plan) for unknown reasons, and we still have Cova da Moura, Quinta da Laje, Estrada Militar da Damaia, and Mina,” she pointed out.
The PSD candidate for Amadora City Hall, Suzana Garcia, aged 45, promised today to eradicate the Cova da Moura neighborhood during the next term, advocating for dignified rehousing and the end of shanties in the municipality.
The candidate assured that “the situation is absolutely unacceptable” and promised that, if elected, she will advance with the demolition of the shanties and the rehousing of families.
“Some will be installed on new land we will build, but more than 50% will be rehoused by the Government,” she explained.
Suzana Garcia also emphasized that the rehousing program will not “distinguish based on residents’ origins.”
“The plan includes integration and support for everyone, whether they come from Cape Verde, Guinea, or Angola, because we are all the same,” she affirmed.
After entering the Cova da Moura neighborhood, the social-democratic entourage also passed through Bairro da Estrada Militar.
Besides Suzana Garcia, other candidates running for Amadora City Hall include the current president Vítor Ferreira (PS), João Pimenta Lopes (PCP/PEV), Anabela Rodrigues (BE), Rui Paulo Sousa (Chega), Hugo Lourenço (Livre), Paulo Fanha (ADN), and Eduardo Conceição (IL).
In the current term, 2021-2025, the executive of Amadora City Hall, presided over by Vítor Ferreira, comprises six elected from PS (including the president), three from the coalition Dar Voz à Amadora (PSD/CDS-PP/Aliança/MPT/PDR), and one from CDU.
The next municipal elections are scheduled for October 12.
