Until November, the government had paid out more than 24 million euros in compensation for losses caused by the floods.

Until November 10, the government has paid 24.4 million euros (ME) in contributions to replace infrastructure and equipment destroyed by floods in late 2022 and early 2023, the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion said on Tuesday.

In response to questions from Lusa, the office of Minister Ana Abrunhos said that “financial contributions planned for 2023” to replace municipal infrastructure and equipment destroyed by floods in December 2022 and January this year “have been paid in full as of November 10.” 2023.”

Contributions totaling €24,442,651.55 were divided by region into €9.337 million for 14 municipalities in Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, 7.321 million for 50 municipalities in the north, 3.961 million for 14 municipalities in the center and 3.821 million for 14 chambers to Alentejo.

According to the order of the Secretary of State for Local Administration and Territorial Planning Carlos Miguel and for the Budget Sofia Batalha dated August, the contribution of the Central Administration in 2024 in the amount of 23,946,463.20 euros will be “secured from the appropriations provided for in the State Budget Law for 2024” .

The document establishes that of the total losses of infrastructure and equipment of 97.135 million euros recorded in 92 municipalities, the contribution of the Central Administration will amount to 48.389 million euros, distributed for this year and 2024.

In Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, program contracts signed with municipalities established that Loures leads the losses with 19.1 million euros eligible for assistance, receiving 2.4 million in 2023 and 7.1 million the following year year.

It is followed by Lisbon with 9.9 eligible MEs (3.6 million in 2023/332 thousand in 2024), Vila Franca de Xira with 4 million (338 thousand/1.2 million), Sintra with 3 .1 million (1.2 million in 2024), Oeiras – 3 million (1.2 million in 2023), and Vila Nova da Barquinha received only 154 thousand eligible euros (received 92 thousand).

In the north, Walesa elected 2.7 million ME (received 812 thousand/862 thousand in 2024), followed by Caminha with 2.4 million (916 thousand/558 thousand), Peso da Regua with 1.2 million (received 774 thousand ), Ponte da Barca, with 1.1 million (565 thousand/114 thousand), Alijo with 885 thousand (received 92 thousand), and Vieira do Minho chose 20 thousand and received 12 thousand euros.

At the Center, the Guarda contract has 3.5 million eligible people (1 million/700 thousand), followed by Oliveira do Hospital with 2.8 million (1.1 million/578 thousand), Meda with 1. 5 million (251 thousand/649 thousand), Seia with 1.2 million (116 thousand/396 thousand), Lusan with 1.2 million (145 thousand/577 thousand) and Sao Pedro do Sul with 162 thousand ( 60 thousand/37 thousand).

In Alentejo, Monforte elected 2.7 million, receiving 1.6 million, followed by Fronteira with 1.4 million (received 190 thousand/664 thousand in 2024), Ponte de Sor with 1.3 million (359 thousand/466 thousand ), Saucel with 1.3 million. (191 thousand/612 thousand), Krato with 1.2 million (468 thousand/261 thousand), and Nisa recorded 60 thousand euros divided by 36 thousand euros.

The contribution for the replacement and repair of municipal infrastructure and public equipment to support the population affected by the floods in December 2022 and January 2023 was provided for by a resolution of the Council of Ministers with an indicative budgetary allocation of 91 million euros, allocated through the state budget, preceded by an audit Regional Commissions for Coordination and Development (CCDR).

According to the government decree, municipalities submitted applications to the CCDR after verifying the inability to “cover, in whole or in part, the damage caused by the activation of existing insurance contracts” and deducting “indemnities, donations or other compensation received to cover, in whole or in part, compensation for the damage.”

In a response to Luse, the Office of the Minister of Territorial Cohesion to a question about the main difficulties encountered when making payments, they considered that “under the terms of the current legislation, the procedures that must be followed do not allow speeding up this process.”

“For example, payments can only be made after the signing of program contracts and their corresponding publication in the Diário da República, in addition, municipalities must provide declarations of absence of debts to the departments of finance and social security,” added the service, headed by Ana Abrunosa. .

Between December 2022 and January this year, several areas of the continent were hit by heavy rains that caused flooding, damaged roads, businesses and homes and left dozens of people homeless. In Alges, municipality of Oeiras, one death was recorded.

Several flood-affected municipalities have lamented the delay in providing support promised by the government.