Latest news and stories about government policy in infrastructure in Santarém, Portugal for expats and residents.
The Mission Structure for the Reconstruction of the Central Region reports that the Open Presidency's findings on recent storm management align significantly with the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), despite identified coordination challenges.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa says the immediate priority in the affected areas is to restore electricity and communications after widespread outages that have left almost 200,000 customers without power and some communities—such as Colmeias and Memória in Leiria—isolated. Speaking after a journey to Ferreira do Zêzere during which he was “almost always without communications”, he warned of long‑standing structural weaknesses, urged caution and calm, and called for a collective, coordinated State response with preventive measures to manage the emergency.
A water bill due in August only arrived in September. The case illustrates the postal distribution delays affecting Tomar and 20 other municipalities in the Santarém district.
According to the Mayor, all operations were executed within the deadlines contractually established by the Recovery and Resilience Plan, with no municipal projects currently underway.
The mayor argues that the completion is important and must take place with transparency, legal rigour, financial responsibility, and effective accountability for the failure to meet deadlines.
231 families have already received support totaling 955,000 euros. The mayor praises the Government's response but warns that the damage was very high and not everything is covered.
The Portuguese Army has purchased a Live Tactical Engagement Simulation System from Saab AB for approximately 1.3 million euros, which will strengthen the Tactical Training, Simulation and Certification Centre (CCTSC) located at the Santa Margarida Military Camp. This is the second simulator acquired by this branch of the Armed Forces, with another planned...
Proposed by the PSD, the committee brings together representatives from all parties and will monitor the football theme park scheduled to open in 2030, the year of the World Cup.
According to the city's mayor, Manuel Jorge Valamatos, the funds provided by the government were insufficient to 'deal with the destruction'. Damages are estimated to be around 16 million euros.
Bruno Gomes, president of Ferreira do Zêzere, says the municipality still has more than 85% of its territory without electricity and communications after the storm and criticises the Government's “lack of leadership”.
Seven municipalities in Médio Tejo, in the Santarém district, have asked the Government for extraordinary aid under the state of calamity, arguing that the scale of the damage caused by Storm Kristin exceeds the normal response capacity of the local authorities.
The town council of Ferreira do Zêzere will ask the Government to declare a state of calamity in the municipality following the damage caused by the passage of Storm Kristin; it is the third municipality to do so, after Leiria and Nazaré.
