Shock news reported by Jornal i today is that of the €50 million in European aid for wildfire damage last year, less than half the amount will find its way to stricken councils. The municipality of Pedrógão Grande, where 67 people died, won’t get a penny, says the paper, stressing €26 million will go into the coffers of the State which contends Pedrógão has already received enough money.
Opposition MPs do not agree, calling the situation a “robbery”.
Duarte Marques (centre-righ PSD) told Público that the European Solidarity Fund is aimed at “people, councils, interior villages, those most affected” by the devastating wildfires that destroyed communities.
Instead, the government has said it will be going to “institutions” like the GNR, Civil Protection, ICNF and Permanent Forestry Fund.
Not pulling any punches, Marques calls the situation “revolting”, stressing that all the institutions in question should be funded through the State Budget not by European funding designed to compensate countries for major disasters.
Pouring even further scorn on the situation, Marques said that all the entities receiving money are “those that failed in fire combat”.
“This is indecent”, he concluded. “And literally lower than a dog”, he added. “I am sorry, but I cannot find any other way to say it”.
Dogs would be horrified, but the rest of us will understand the MP’s bottom line.
natasha.donn@algarveresident.com
