The State Budget for 2018, approved yesterday at the Assembly of the Republic, "has no budget" for the "requalification of the EN125 between Olhão and Vila Real de Santo António», despite «their state of degradation in the sections that need improvement», denounced the PSD/Algarve, in a statement.
For this work, the Social Democrats stress, "there are no competitions launched, nor will there be any work", contrary to the commitment made by the Government, last May, to "start work this year". "It won't do it this year or next year," they guarantee.
But this is not, according to the Algarve PSD, the only case in which the Government promises but does not deliver. The Social Democrats recall that, although nationally, public investment will grow 40 percent compared to 2017, in the Algarve "it will be below 1 percent of total investment", although the region "represents 5 percent of the population and of the GDP'.
Among the promises made and not fulfilled by the Government, is the construction of the Hospital Central do Algarve, which «is not foreseen» in the State Budget, although «4 new hospitals are registered for the country». «More than 1000 million euros for hospitals and for the Algarve zero. Or does the Algarve no longer have the worst health indicators at national level?”, asks the PSD, in its statement.
«In the drawer» will also be the electrification of Via do Algarve and the train connection to the airport. In this area, «the Government assumes to invest 270 million in 2018 and 2000 million by 2020. Only the Algarve is left out, which is more serious when these interventions were agreed in 2015 by the main parties as national priorities».
Tolls are also maintained “in the molds in which we know them”. The PSD recalls that, in 2015, the PS advocated an "immediate reduction of 50%", while BE and PCP advocated its "abolition", having all these political forces been "very categorical in their commitments", having even chosen this matter as "determinant for the region".
In other words, defends the PSD/Algarve, «the performances continue without results». As a matter of fact, the Social Democrats point out that, "in the abolition proposal presented by another political force", the Left Bloc, its deputies abstained, and the proposal was "failed by PS and PCP".
«In short: this Government says it has money to spend, it says it will do it, it says where, but it says it is not in the Algarve, in favor of the Algarve and because of their needs», concludes the PSD.
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