The Minister for Territorial Cohesion admitted this Wednesday that the government would like to do more to reduce tolls in the hinterland, but stressed that despite this, there has been a “differentiation” of these areas, with a reduction in revenue collected in the former GKut. .
Ana Abrunhosa went to Parliament this Wednesday at the request of the PSD and PS to talk about cohesion within the country, after the visit of deputies of the Committee for Public Administration, Spatial Planning and Local Authority to the intermunicipal communities (CIM) of Beiras and Serra da. Estrela and Beira Baixa.
Minister Ana Abrunhosa, who oversaw the first Ministry of Territorial Cohesion, explained that the value of toll revenues in the hinterland is around 300 million euros, and the state no longer receives “two thirds” of this amount due to discounts made.
“Due to the reduction in tolls, the country, the state, is losing two-thirds of this amount. [suplementar] per year in the amount of 100 million euros, not to mention the financial balance that must be achieved with the concessionaires” who have contracts until 2030, explained the government official.
“If this is not an indicator of differentiation and assessment of the interior, then I don’t know what is. Can we do more? Do we want to do more? Of course, yes,” the minister believes, emphasizing that these figures reflect “political choices.” and serve “for future information.”
In presenting its request to hear Ana Abrunhosa – and in contrast to the PS, which preferred to highlight the “noticeable differences” in development that socialist management brought to domestic affairs – the PSD considered that the Ministry of Cohesion “seems like a good idea.” but “by visiting the areas, you won’t see many tangible results.”
In addition to the tolls, which the SDP considered “the biggest ‘bluff’ of socialist rule”, deputies also heard complaints about a shortage of doctors, a lack of jobs, shortcomings in education and a lack of anti-aging measures.
According to Social Democratic MP Barbosa de Melo, during visits to the two CIMs it was confirmed that “what is being done is not enough to stop depopulation.”
Ana Abrunosa emphasized that from 2018 to 2022 the population grew mainly due to the migration balance, which in 2022 was twice the natural balance.
The two CIMs of Beiras, where the natural balance is “very negative,” have a “very positive” migration balance, which, according to the minister, proves the attractiveness of these territories, for which special employment programs and competitions for qualified specialists have been created. human resources and the return of people to their lands.
“IN [programa] Emprego Interior Mais and No Regressar, right in the midst of the pandemic, we invested 152 million euros in these two CIMs, which allowed us to attract more than about four thousand people to these territories,” he emphasized.
Ana Abrunhosa also highlighted that, through the two CIMs, Portugal 2020 and the Plan for Recovery and Resilience (PRR) allowed for the investment of 653 million euros, of which 315 in the Beira Baixa CIM.
“Despite all the difficulties, the business investment supported by the funds far exceeds government investment for those who think that we finance only through municipal funds,” he said.
In CIM Beiras and Serra da Estrela, public investment amounted to 164 million euros and business investment backed by funds amounted to 381 million euros, the official said.
In the Beira Baixa CIM, investments supported by PT2020 and PRR amounted to €56 million in investment at the municipal level and €213 million in business investment.
Regarding roads, the minister also emphasized that a public tender has been announced and a project has been drawn up for the construction of the IC6 section from the Tabua intersection (Coimbra) to the Follados intersection (Seia, in Guarda), “and therefore it is a project that moves forward.”
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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