There is an impasse between the government and the Lisbon City Council over who does what — and who pays for what — at World Youth Days, which are next year and will bring Pope Francis to Portugal, Expresso reports. If the Executive and the local authority do not reach an agreement, it is possible that some activities of the event will be moved to Cascais and Vila Franca de Xira.
The draft of a memorandum to which Expresso had access proves that the municipality of Carlos Moedas was responsible, for example, for the installation of lighting, water and toilets, the creation of a “food space for VIPs and bishops” and “multimedia towers (image and sound), which allow all the pilgrims to follow the ceremonies anywhere in the enclosure and surroundings”.
Furthermore, and according to the same source, the Lisbon City Council took charge of the choice of spaces and the preparation of all the necessary infrastructures for the events, including the stages of the Journeys. The proposal was sent by the office of Laurinda Alves to the other municipalities and to all the entities involved in the event, including the Chamber of Loures, the Local Organizing Committee of the Lisbon Patriarchate and the Government project group.
Except that the municipality of Lisbon has not yet signed its own memorandum, explains Expresso, and even Carlos Moedas has asked the Executive for “help” in some of the tasks that he had previously proposed. The mayor himself said at a public meeting this week that “now we go to the operational part, who puts the bathrooms, who cleans the land, who does what.” And he threw the ball at the Government: “It has to be part of the solution. The Lisbon City Council is not a promoter of the event”.
The former Lisbon councilor who coordinates the Executive’s project, José Sá Fernandes, admitted to Expresso that there is “certain apprehension” in the organization of the World Youth Days. According to him, “the House must say that it does everything it has promised“; or warn that he will not do it “so that we can find a solution”.
CML awaits government response
In response to the Observer, the Lisbon City Council clarifies that it is available to invest up to a total of 35 million euros (when an investment of 21 million has already been approved by the municipality). In the same statement, the chamber headed by Carlos Moedas assumes the existence of a letter sent to the President of the Government, António Costa, with “the bases of what the CML would assume to guarantee the holding of the event and the estimate of the expenses to be paid Township”.
Thus, assumes the Municipality, the executive of Coins hopes that, “at WYD, the commitments assumed by the State, directly and indirectly, are at least on a par with the effort made by the Municipality of Lisbon”. And he reveals that he is still waiting for a response from the Government. “CML assumed its responsibilities. We are still waiting for a response from the Government that, so far, has not yet assumed its own, “the statement read.
*News updated at 16:32 with the reaction of the Lisbon City Council
Source: Observadora
