Lisbon Chamber Suspends Incentives for EMEL Employees for Past Fines

The Lisbon City Council has suspended incentives for EMEL employees for past fines. The decision was made two weeks after the release of Doa a quem Doer by CMTV expose the regime in which EMEL employees received prizes for fines and blocking cars.

The vice-president of the municipality of Lisbon said this Wednesday that he was “shocked” when he learned about the increase in remuneration associated with EMEL fines – Empresa de Mobilidade e Escolha de Lisboa, showing that the measure was “immediately suspended”. .

“With regard to EMEL, I think we really need a new culture,” said Filipe Anacoreta Correia (CDS-PP), who is in charge of mobility.

The deputy mayor of Lisbon spoke at a public meeting of the municipal executive after he was questioned by PS council member Pedro Anastasio about statements in which he said that in the past in PS management, previous leaders may have had an “ideological war with the car” which remained in the culture of the EMEL company.

The socialist wanted to know the position of the SDS / CDS-PP leadership regarding the alleged aggression of EMEL employees against the driver, believing that the company’s statement on the situation reflects an “excusing position”.

In response, Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas (PSD) reiterated that the occurrence of alleged aggression is “unacceptable” and defended the concept of “EMEL that is not punitive but works with the people, protects the people”. .

Carlos Moedas pointed out that “a year ago a lot of people were talking about the lack of oversight” of the use of residents’ parking lots at night, so “this oversight should be done, but in a positive way.” to protect residents.

“When I was informed that there would be some kind of reward system related to the number of fines, it is obvious that this cannot be. their work, but they can’t be rewarded for imposing more and more fines because it’s an incentive that goes against what should be,” the mayor said, defending the change.

In the same vein, the vice president said he was “shocked to learn of the increase in remuneration associated with fines”, a situation “completely unacceptable” but inherited from the past and “immediately suspended”. so it is no longer practiced.”

Referring to the episode of alleged violence by EMEL employees, Filipe Anacoreta Correia stressed: “None of us can express anything but shock at this news.”

EMEL launched an investigation to determine the “disciplinary responsibility” of the inspectorate personnel involved in the alleged aggression, and they are now performing their functions without contact with the public.

On Tuesday, morning Post reported an attack on a 35-year-old man by three EMEL inspectors, who allegedly broke three of the victim’s teeth and nose.

In a statement, the company explained that the performance of the functions of regulating parking in the city of Lisbon requires traffic police officers to be “maximum adjustment and a sense of courtesy.”

“EMEL rejects all acts of violence related to the exercise of these powers, immediately deploring the situation of violence” that occurred on Monday, the note says.

The company also acknowledged the difficulties of its screening agents, noting that they are often “the target of intolerable physical and psychological aggression in the performance of their functions,” as he added now.