Alberto and Maria José should have somewhere to call home by today
President Marcelo appears to have done his bit to ring the changes in the sad plight of Maria José, 77 and husband Alberto, 75 – thrown out of their home two months ago to make way for a new Alojamento Local business in Lisbon.
The Head of State made a personal visit to Gare do Oriente last night where the two pensioners have been living, with assistance from people who saw them day after day, surrounded by their meagre possessions, and decided to try and help.
He told a possé of journalists that arrived at the station to witness the visit that he believes the situation will be resolved at some point today.
Santa Casa da Misericórdia (Church charity) representatives will be taking the couple to visit a possible new home – a form of assisted living within the capital (bearing in mind neither is in the best of health).
It is simply up to the pair to ‘accept’ the offer, and their homelessness will be resolved, he said.
The tragic situation of Maria José and Alberto came to light just as PS Socialists on Lisbon City Council are calling for new rules to limit the number of AL establishments in given areas of the capital, precisely because too many properties are being removed from the ‘permanent living sector’.
