“Any agreement involving Chega is solely the responsibility of the PSD and does not bind PAN, as PAN does not identify with such a solution,” stated the party led by Inês Sousa Real in a written position sent to the Lusa news agency.
The party, which was part of the PSD/IL/PAN coalition winning the local elections on October 12, explained that the agreement with PSD was formed to “improve living conditions, protect the environment, and promote animal welfare.”
“PAN, through its municipal deputy elected in the parish assembly and political council, will continue to work responsibly and constructively to ensure stable and ethical governance for the people of Sintra, faithful to the values that define us: justice, empathy, and integrity,” the party concluded.
Also today, the president of Iniciativa Liberal, Mariana Leitão, announced the withdrawal of political trust from Eunice Baeta, who accepted a position as a councilor in Sintra in an executive led by PSD, where Chega holds portfolios.
Mariana Leitão also requested that Eunice Baeta resign from the Executive Committee of the party, “as the conditions of political trust to continue exercising it were not met, which was accepted,” IL disclosed in a statement.
In that statement, signed by IL leader Mariana Leitão, it was revealed that Eunice Baeta, elected councilor by the PSD/IL/PAN coalition in Sintra, informed on Thursday of her decision to join an executive with Chega councilors, “violating the decision made by IL’s Executive Committee.”
Meanwhile, the mayor of Sintra, Marco Almeida, justified the agreement with Chega as necessary for stability in the executive, emphasizing that in democracy, “there are no first or second-class votes,” and assured that he had spoken with all parties.
“There is an issue here worth valuing. In democracy, there are no first and second-class votes. Votes are cast by residents of Sintra, who determined that both the coalition I led, the Socialist Party, and Chega should have representatives in the municipal executive,” declared the social-democratic mayor.
The mayor elected by the PSD/IL/PAN coalition spoke after the first meeting of the municipal executive, justifying the agreement with Chega that allowed two elected officials to assume functions in the municipality, following unsuccessful talks with the PS councilors, who also have four elected members, like the coalition led by Marco Almeida.
“I did my part, which was to speak with everyone and challenge them. There were those who accepted and those who did not. This is the factual scenario,” he added.
The candidacy Sempre com os Sintrenses, led by Marco Almeida, obtained 33.86% of the votes and four mandates in the October 12 elections, ahead of former minister Ana Mendes Godinho (PS/Livre), with 31.67% and also four elected officials, followed by Rita Matias (Chega), with 23.38% and three mandates.
Former mayor Fernando Seara won the elections for the municipal assembly with the PSD/IL/PAN coalition, ahead of the socialist João Soares (PS/Livre). Following the swearing-in on Saturday, Seara presented for approval a list that included an elected Chega member in a position on the assembly board.
The executive met today for the first time at Paços do Concelho, and the agenda included delegating powers from the chamber to the president, appointing five councilors in permanent status, dismissing municipal representatives in local companies and intermunicipal entities, and appointing new representatives.
In the proposal seen by Lusa for appointing new representatives, Marco Almeida suggested Rui Caetano as president of the administration for the Municipal Water and Sanitation Services (SMAS) and Paulo Gomes and Rui Covas Simões as board members. Councilors Francisco Duarte (PSD) and Anabela Macedo (Chega) were proposed for the Association of Cascais, Mafra, Oeiras, and Sintra for Solid Waste Treatment (AMTRES).
Councilor Andreia Bernardo (PSD) was designated for the Sintra Municipal Parking Company (EMES) and the Cultursintra Foundation, along with Marco Almeida and a PS representative, while Ricardo Aragão Pinto (Chega) was designated for A2S – Association for Sustainable Development of the Saloia Region, and Eunice Baeta (IL) for Nanomat – Association for Research and Development in Advanced Materials and Applications.
