National Association of Municipalities is against criteria “limiters” and requires seeing the populations decide. Mayors want populations to decide to separate parishes.
The National Association of Portuguese Municipalities (ANMP) gave an unfavorable opinion to the Government's draft law that aims to reverse the merger of parishes.
The association considers that the requirement of several criteria – such as the provision of services or the territorial area – makes the model “limiter”, arguing that the “political will” populations should suffice to reverse the reform of 2013. The theme goes to Parliament on the day 29.
Not seem, that JN had access to, ANMP states that the requirement of qualified majority in the Parish Assemblies involved creates a “considerable obstacle” the creation and reversal of mergers of parishes. Difficulties are reinforced, association continues, for the mandatory compliance “of all the criteria listed in the law”.
The five “mandatory verification” criteria for the provision of services to the Government are: provision of services to the population, minimum and maximum limits of population and territory, the effectiveness of public management, aspects of cultural identity and lastly, the will of the population. ANMP disputes the first three.
Luís Amado, the mayor who in 2012 defied the government and “changed the law”.
During 16 years was mayor. Four as executive secretary and 12 as Chairman of the Board of Vila de Frades Parish, county Vidigueira, having accumulated one of the mandates with the deputy function of the mayor.
In 2012, was a leading figure when the government of the PSD, launched the law of administrative reorganization of local authorities proceeding to the merger of parishes.
Luís Amado defied the then Secretary of State, Paul Julius and told him: "If the law of 3 kilometers for the merger is approved, change the seat of the joint to the Ruins of St. Cucufate, what is the 4 kilometers, contour and to avoid melting ". This position was fraturante and the government stepped back and took the law paragraph of "kilometers from the merger".
What some of the presidents of the parish unions think
Antonio Ramos (Union of Parishes of Beja-Salvador and Santa Maria da Feira): “We haven't officially addressed the issue yet, but, in a first analysis, going back to the old days has no logic and is not in our plans. Two together made services more operational ”.
Jorge Parente (Union of Parishes of Beja-Santiago Maior and São João Baptista): “In a Parish Assembly, the CDU has already addressed the issue, but, we didn't take any position. We applied for a union and not a joint, it makes no sense to debate the issue. The separation has no logic, because with two unions things did not work badly ”.
Sergio Tricks (Parishes union Salvada and Quintos): “Favorable to setback. It was a lawsuit against the opinion of mayors and customers. This process generally did not bring any benefits, since the savings were not significant for the State. The identity of each people was the biggest ax of the process ”.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
