The Parliamentary Group of the PCP questioned the Ministry of Agriculture, Sea, Environment and Spatial Planning on the preparatory measures already implemented by the Government to ensure that the new Planning Plan for the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina (PNSACV) will enter effective on February 5, 2014, that is, three years after the current Plan enters into force.
The PCP also questioned the Government about the starting date of the public discussion of the bases of the new Planning Plan of the PNSACV, which, in the opinion of the PCP, should involve, "effectively, the municipalities, recreational and professional fishermen associations , shellfish collectors and farmers, environmental associations and other living forces in the region'.
For the communist deputies, «the current Planning Plan of the PNSACV, approved on February 4, 2011 through the Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 11-B/2011, is based on an anti-social and anti-scientific perspective that opposes habits and practices and traditional and autochthonous nature conservation activities, establishing a vast array of restrictions, impositions and prohibitions on common and traditional uses of space and resources by local populations».
The PCP's parliamentarians add that the current PNSACV's Ordinance Plan, in the period of public discussion that ran from March 18 to April 30, 2010, “deserved widespread repudiation by the population, mayors and fishermen's associations, shellfish gatherers and farmers from the territory covered by the Natural Park, and the more than 400 participations presented in the scope of this public discussion did not deserve due attention by the previous Government».
Therefore, “in fulfillment of the commitments assumed with the populations, the PCP presented in September 2011 a Draft Resolution (No. 92/XII), recommending that the Government proceed, as a matter of urgency, to revise the Land Use Plan of the PNSACV and to suspend the application of Ordinance No. 138-A/2010, of March 4, to residents of the geographical area of this Natural Park».
Subsequently, in several hearings with the Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, held at the Committee on Environment, Spatial Planning and Local Government, the Parliamentary Group of the PCP raised the issue of "urgent review of the PNSACV's Planning Plan".
According to the PCP, Minister Assunção Cristas did not disagree "with the need to carry out this review, only defending that it should be carried out three years after the entry into force of the Ordinance Plan, that is, on February 5, 2014."
On the other hand, still according to the communists, in July 2012, the PSD and the CDS presented their own draft resolution (No. 427/XII) on this matter, which, assuming the inadequacy of the Land Use Plan. PNSACV, recommended the Government to “promote and undertake the revision of the Land Use Plan in question, as soon as legally possible [February 2014]”.
But, since the process of reviewing the PNSACV's Ordinance Plan did not advance, the Parliamentary Group of the PCP requested, in April 2013, the scheduling of the discussion of this matter in the Committee on Environment, Spatial Planning and Local Government, which had place in early June.
However, in late May 2013, the PSD and CDS changed the text of their Draft Resolution. Where the Government was recommended to "promote and undertake the review of the Land Use Plan in question, as soon as legally possible [February 2014]", it read "proceed to assess the adequacy of the Land Plan, based on the results of the your
monitoring, with a view to substantiating a future review'.
It was this formulation – which, in the opinion of the PCP, “represents a clear retreat from positions previously taken by the PSD and CDS” – which was eventually approved by these parties (with the abstention of the PS and BE), giving rise to the Resolution of the Assembly of the Republic No. 86/2013.
Now, underline the communists, "just over six months to the date established by the Minister for the entry into force of a new Planning Plan of the PNSACV", so "it is important to determine what measures have already been taken and what measures will be taken by the Government in order to ensure that the new Planning Plan of the PNSACV will effectively enter into force on February 5, 2014».
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