The group Stop Petróleo Vila do Bispo demanded clarification from the Government on the extension of the authorization for prospecting and exploration of oil and gas in the Algarve, which, according to the newspaper Expresso, was granted to the ENI/Galp consortium.
According to the weekly in its printed edition, the Secretary of State for Energy signed the renewal of the contract for another year on January 8th, a decision which he justified with the investment «in excess of 76 million euros» that the consortium made in the last few years. 10 years, within the scope of the concession given to him to search for oil and natural gas off the Costa Vicentina, as well as the preliminary injunctions that were presented by different entities.
On the other hand, the approval of the work plan for the drilling depends on the approval of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), to be carried out by the Ministry of Environment, the presentation of a copy of the insurance policy and the payment of an security deposit of more than 20 million euros. Requirements that Stop Petróleo Vila do Bispo requires the Government to maintain, at the time it is called to authorize the start of prospecting.
Anti-oil activists in the Algarve guarantee that, contrary to what is referred to in the Expresso news, “there is a Provisional Measure that was not overruled by the court: the one placed by the Algarve Livre de Petróleo Platform (PALP), challenging the surveys by failure to comply with national legislation and incorrect transcription of European directives'.
“According to information from the PALP, on the same day the Government allegedly signed the renewal for another year, the hearing of the witnesses of both parties involved in the Provisional Measure, in court, was scheduled. The hearing, scheduled for January 8, was later postponed at the request of the oil company ENI», revealed the group Stop Petróleo Vila do Bispo.
The elements of this movement do not hide their "huge dismay" for seeing "the current Portuguese Government ignore the negative opinions issued by all the municipalities, in the same way that it had already ignored the public will of more than 42 thousand citizens", who manifested themselves against the issuance of the prospecting license.
"The Grupo Stop Petróleo Vila do Bispo calls for the intervention of the President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in a matter that is not merely economic and that requires the Principle of Precaution", conclude the anti-oil activists.
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