The Minister of Territorial Cohesion, Ana Abrunhosa, warned this Saturday that “it will not be an easy process” the access of the parishes to the funds of the European Union, in the next community framework Portugal 2030.
Speaking this Saturday, in Tábua, during the signing ceremony of the transfer of powers to the parishes of the municipality, Ana Abrunhosa said that, “for the first time in the history of community funds“, the parishes were consecrated “as beneficiary entities”.
“It will not be an easy process, because there is a great learning path here,” warned the minister.
According to Ana Abrunhosa, there will have to be “articulation between parishes and municipalities and the Intermunicipal Communities“, so that there is no “support overlap”.
“Then we all know that the support is not 100%, we must also guarantee the national public contribution. And second, we all know that we will only fund what is the responsibility of the parishes and we will prioritize what is disclosed. as proximity investments”, He explained.
The official gave an example with Espaços Cidadão in all the parishes, in an attempt to “increase that mesh”, since “is a proximity response” in an increasingly digital world.
“Also in small works of requalification of sports facilities of the communities. We know the importance of communities. We are talking about projects of little value that many times have been carried out even with the State Budgets”, he added.
Ana Abrunhosa stressed that “resources are limited” and “priority must be given to the needs“.
“We have to articulate these interventions in the territory, but we are absolutely committed to this path with the parishes, with clear priorities. We are talking about small interventions that have had a great impact in the territories”, he added.
Present at the ceremony in Tábua -which this Saturday also marked, for the first time, the Day of Municipal Cohesion- was the president of the National Association of Parishes, Jorge Veloso, who will meet on Tuesday morning with Ana Abrunhosa about of community funds.
“This time, we are absolutely sure that the parishes will be covered,” he said.
Jorge Veloso welcomed the possibility for parishes to benefit from European Union funds, within the scope of their powers, for “works in public space, recovery of a building that belongs to them, requalification of a swimming pool or a sports pavilion, not only belonging to a parish, but also to a community or association”.
Source: Observadora
