The Chamber of Odemira will take legal action against agricultural companies that insist on maintaining illegal temporary accommodation in this territory, despite legislation created to improve conditions for seasonal workers in agricultural campaigns.
According to the mayor, Helder Warrior, since the start of the legalization process for housing on farms, approvals have already been granted 18 Removable Temporary Accommodation Facilities (IATA), “but there are some that are still illegal in the territory”.
"The government, the chamber and all entities, [between them] the natural park [of the Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina], made an extraordinary effort to find legislation for these accommodation solutions for temporary workers”, said.
However, and although there are companies that have also made “an extraordinary investment effort” to install IATAS on their farms, there are others who “did not even make that investment”, He explained.
to the mayor, companies that “did not want to legalize themselves” are “competing completely unfair and illegal competition”.
“Madam minister [of Agriculture] already know that, the Secretary of State knows this and we have already stated several times, in the regular meeting we have in the Mira project group, that we will take legal action in this regard”, revealed.
According to Helder Guerreiro, investment in IATAS to around 150 workers represents an investment of more than one million euros.
That is why, He defended, “the companies that made their investment deserve that there is a safeguard on the part of the State and the municipality for the investments” made.
Asked about resorting to the courts to put an end to illegal temporary accommodation, socialist HĂ©lder Guerreiro assured that the municipality will demand the demolition of what has been built.
“They didn’t want to legalize, not legalized and, for now, some of them that are not even in conditions, facing lei, to be in that place they have to leave there” stressed the mayor, giving the example of an exploration in the parish of Zambujeira do Mar, “a clear and unequivocal case” of illegality.
The installation of temporary accommodation on farms is one of the measures provided for in a resolution of the Council of Ministers and in the agreements signed between the Government, agricultural companies and the Municipality of Odemira to resolve the issue of housing for seasonal workers.
