The PSD/Algarve wants "all the contours" of the Algarve Litoral sub-concession contract to be clarified, which, according to the Court of Auditors, may be illegal, namely with regard to the prior visa application and which may have resulted in an aggravation of the public expenditure in the order of 700 million euros (in the whole country).
When there is less than a month for the exemptions and discounts on the tolls on Via do Infante and almost two months after the works have stopped on the EN125, due to alleged financial difficulties of the concessionary consortium, the PSD recalls that «the concession “Algarve Litoral” was presented, with pomp and circumstance, by the former Secretary of State for Public Works Paulo Campos, as the solution to road problems in the Algarve, namely the requalification of the EN 125».
The Social Democrats add that "it was also this assumption that led to the decision to introduce tolls on Via do Infante by the Socialist Party government led by José Sócrates", a measure which, however, was only implemented by the current PSD/ CDS led by Passos Coelho.
The concession in question, awarded to a consortium led by Edifer, foresaw, among many other interventions, the construction of variants in the cities of Albufeira, Lagos, Loulé (Almancil), Faro, Olhão and Tavira.
However, about five years after the beginning of the process, it appears that "many of these works did not start and those that did are at a standstill or at an extremely slow pace."
For the PSD/Algarve, despite the «great importance that an intervention on the EN 125 has», «it is important to clarify the formula in which this entire process was conducted, which led to the constitution of a PPP (Public Private Partnership) that once again proved to be ruinous for the Algarve and for the country».
In this context, the Algarve's social democrats argue that "the finding of facts assumes even greater importance, because they were [in the origin] of the argument that led to the introduction of tolls on Via do Infante, which have so penalized the Algarve".
The PSD/Algarve also says that today Via do Infante is "conditioned to the payment of tolls, the result of another ruinous deal in the same format (PPP) by an equally socialist government."
"The model in question, which created a huge hole in public accounts, has always been defended by socialist rulers and today, as a result of the need to pay such a bill, it forces to condition the region's development, namely its mobility," say the social- Democrats.
Luís Gomes, president of the PSD/Algarve, hopes that "the Court of Auditors will carry out the necessary audit to fully clarify this negotiation, hoping that, if harmful acts for the public purse are confirmed, they will be recognized and punished in an exemplary manner."
However, says the leader of the Algarvian PSD, "we will not stop fighting with the government so that the works can continue so that this aspiration of the Algarve can be fulfilled".
The official adds that “this is the moment for the Government to take stock of the introduction of tolls on Via do Infante. A balance in economic and profitability terms and a balance of traffic on the road. It is important to understand the impact that these first months of tolls had to better understand and adapt the current solution».
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