Mayors criticise Castro Almeida for 'passing the buck' on support delays: 'It is shameful'

Wednesday, 11 March 2026RSS
Mayors criticise Castro Almeida for 'passing the buck' on support delays: 'It is shameful'

Speaking to Expresso, the mayor of Alcácer do Sal says that applications have been validated, but that the Government 'has not yet handed a cent to the Alentejo CCDR' for distribution. The mayor of Leiria says that 'high expectations' were created for 'miraculous' solutions, and the mayor of Almada says that 'it is not enough to take a photograph and send it'. The president of the ANMP asks that the 'burden' not be placed on the mayors.

Context & Explainers

Manuel Castro Almeida is Portugal's Minister of Economy and Social Cohesion, a role cited in the article. On 17 February in Sobral de Monte Agraço he said over 4,000 companies had requested storm support totaling nearly €1 billion, figures tied to recent severe weather damage.

The National Association of Portuguese Municipalities (Associação Nacional de Municípios Portugueses or ANMP) is the umbrella group that represents Portugal’s 308 municipalities in talks with the central government. It negotiates funding, shared services and decentralisation plans—for example, it has been involved in the recent agreement to create a commission and a fund to transfer about 4,000 kilometres of roads to municipal control—so local services and road maintenance may shift to town councils that residents deal with directly.

AI Summary AvailableMayors clash with Minister over storm recovery delaysRead the synthesized summary with context and explainers
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