Álvaro Leal, who was the head of the CDU list for the Vila Real de Santo António City Council, but who, against his own party, he accepted a position of permanent councilor in the municipality, thus enabling the PS minority executive, went public on Friday night, the 22nd, in a statement, explaining the reasons for his decision.
«I decided to accept the council on a permanent basis and assume responsibilities in areas such as Sports, Youth, Environment and Administrative Modernization, among others, because it is the most responsible option, the one that best serves our land and the one for which I was advised by the many candidates and supporters of the list that I headed”, begins by saying, in a statement sent this evening to newsrooms.
"I took the most difficult decision of my life, but I did it in a very thoughtful and conscious way, which is the most beneficial for the present and future of my municipality and without regard to party interests", he guarantees.
The now permanent councilor with portfolios adds that he even asked “the CDU coordinator of Vila Real de Santo António to continue to accompany me on this journey, which I never wanted to do alone”. But, he reveals, “unfortunately, the PCP's Regional Directorate did not allow the wishes of the people of Vila Real to be heard and respected”.
In fact, yesterday, at the end of the afternoon, the Municipal Committee of Vila Real de Santo António do PCP had guaranteed, in a statement, that the councilor elected by the CDU would not assume any functions. Vilarreal communists also guaranteed that the CDU would have "a constructive attitude", but would act "within a framework of total independence and autonomy", supporting "everything positive is proposed, fighting everything negative that may arise and taking the initiative to present proposals and solutions for the council».
Only this morning, during the Chamber meeting, Álvaro Leal accepted the position of permanent councilor, with portfolios, in Vila Real de Santo António City Hall, thus contradicting the PCP's decision.
In his statement, Leal begins by explaining his decision saying that "the serious situation in our municipality is known by all and deserves that each one of us make the necessary sacrifices to reverse this situation."
Therefore, in his opinion, «the option proposed by the PCP would lead to exhaustive chamber meetings, without positive results and, consequently, would only greatly harm the regular functioning that is necessary to implement in the municipality and which could lead to a situation similar to the one we experienced. in Castro Marim in 2019 and which contributed nothing to the development of the neighboring municipality and which, in our reality, would only benefit the return of Luís Gomes' PSD».
Álvaro Leal also assures that, «in the exercise of my mandate, I will maintain my independence and the values that guided my candidacy and my life», adding that he hopes and desires «the support of all and from the outset of the CDU».
«I am sure that the time and work of the team I will choose will prove how right this decision was, because what we always wanted was to work for Vila Real de Santo António», concludes the new councilor for Sports, Youth, Environment and Administrative Modernization of the City Council of the city of Guadiana.
Álvaro Leal had already been head of the list for the Chamber of VRSA, by the CDU, in the 2017 Municipal Elections, when he was elected councilor, a role he played, in opposition, during the executive led by the social democrat Conceição Cabrita, who resigned after suspicion corruption, and later by Luís Romão.
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