The concentration of ministries in Campus XXI will save around 20 million euros, the Minister of the Presidential Administration calculated this Monday, indicating that the government will present a plan for the use of the buildings that remain empty.
“By coming here, it is estimated that in a normal year we will save around 19-20 million euros just in the cost of premises, rent, logistics, cleaning, security, electricity, car fleet,” said António Leitão Amaro, who spoke to journalists on the first day of the government’s work at Campus XXI in Lisbon.
Together with the Minister of Youth and Modernization, Margarida Balceiro López, the government official stressed that this concentration is “an opportunity to save taxpayers’ money.”
“Of course, there is work that goes on behind the scenes, of course, there are investments that the state, the government and the public administration must focus here, but these are investments that bring big savings every day,” he stressed.
Leitan Amaru noted that the change “will free up three buildings that were leased to private individuals” and for which the government will no longer pay rent, and that in total “in these two years, 27 government buildings will be put into operation that can be put to the service of the people.”
The Minister of the Presidency noted that these nearly three dozen buildings have different characteristics, and said that the government intends to “submit to the country a plan for the use of these buildings at the end of the summer.”
“This redistribution plan will be based on the characteristics of properties with the aim of maximizing income, and “that target will be those who are suitable for housing,” he assured.
António Leitão Amaru noted that “today, at least half of the leaders of the 24th Government work here” and “over the next two years, when we manage to vacate and carry out work on the remaining floors, a significant part of the Government will be housed here, as well as more than 70 public administration facilities.”
The official also said that “several days before” the current government came to power, he was in the building and “on half of the seventh floor.” [onde está instalada grande parte dos ministros] it was a shipyard, there was no premises of the Council of Ministers” and indicated that the work needed to be accelerated.
The President’s Minister also said that the Prime Minister will also have an office in the building, next to the Council of Ministers hall, which was postponed from the original plan.
Leitan Amaru indicated that the goal is for the executive leader to have a place to work there before and after government meetings, noting that “the prime minister’s normal place of work continues to be the official residence in São Bento.”
At the beginning of the press conference, the presidential minister stated that this would be “the house of government and the house of state of the 21st century,” representing “the principle of the future state, more effective public administration, better responsive to the needs of citizens and, by the way, more economical for taxpayers.”
“We work more together, we work closer, we work more coordinated as a team. Better answers can be given, faster, with more participation and cooperation. That is why this is a new paradigm of action for the state, the government and the public administration,” he said.
Antonio Leitan Amaro also stressed that the “enormous logistical operation” involving “more than 90 people, in addition to moving and cleaning companies” made it possible to move over the weekend “without interrupting government activity.”
Starting this Monday, six ministers and their secretaries of state will begin working in the headquarters building of the Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD), next to Campo Pequeno: Undersecretary for Territorial Cohesion Manuel Castro Almeida, Minister of the President António Leitan Amaro, Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Construction, Miguel Pinto Luz, Minister of Economy Pedro Reis, Minister of Agriculture José Manuel Fernandez and Minister of Youth and Modernization Margarida Balceiro Lopez.
In addition to these six ministers, the two Secretaries of State for Parliamentary Affairs will move to the CGD, while the Minister of this portfolio, Pedro Duarte, will remain in the Assembly of the Republic.
Caixa Geral de Depósitos and the previous PS government had already agreed that the bank would leave its current headquarters building in Campo Pequeno (Avenida João XXI, Lisbon) so that the executive could centralize several ministries there. However, CGD will continue to provide services there until 2026.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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