“We need greater autonomy. It is constitutionally enshrined, as has already been stated here, but it is a law that defines the constitution of our offices, and this is not right,” emphasized Ana Abrunhosa.
During her speech at the XXVII Congress of ANMP, which is taking place this weekend in Viana do Castelo, Ana Abrunhosa, who has led the municipality of Coimbra since October, after being elected by the Avançar Coimbra coalition (PS/Livre/PAN), criticized the fact that it is a law deciding the constitution of her offices.
“This is a gross interference in our autonomy, and I could continue to give examples of gross interferences in our autonomy,” she added.
To the new president of ANMP, Pedro Pimpão, she suggested inviting, for all Congresses, the president of the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF) and the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), as well as other institutions that interfere in municipal decisions.
“We are elected and are the first to want to respect the law, therefore, we reject those from Lisbon who think they can manage the territory better and respect the law more than the mayors,” she stated.
Ana Abrunhosa, who has previously led the Coordination and Regional Development Commission (CCDR) of the Center and served as Minister of Territorial Cohesion, recalled that she has been “on the other side.”
“We reject having people who systematically respond to these general directions, these public institutes. That violates our autonomy,” she maintained.
The mayor also took the opportunity to address the issue of decentralization, asserting her intention to continue receiving competencies, provided they come with adequate resources.
“For this, it is urgent that decentralization be monitored and followed up, it is urgent to reactivate the Decentralization Monitoring Commission, where the National Association of Municipalities has a seat,” she indicated.
The president of the Coimbra City Council, who was today elected vice-president of the ANMP’s Board of Directors, also expressed the urgency of greater transparency of the tax revenues the Government receives.
“It is urgent that this transparency comes in the new Local Finance Law, accompanied by greater participation of municipalities in these taxes,” she concluded.
