The PSD presented and was unanimously approved in a Chamber Meeting a proposal for “an urgent external audit of the management of the Municipality of Loulé, given alleged non-compliance in the public procurement procedures of the municipality”.
The proposal was approved with votes in favor of the PS municipal executive, “including the mayor [Vítor Aleixo] and other councilors, a fact that cannot fail to be highlighted by the PSD”, according to the social democrats.
After all, illustrated, however, the Câmara de Loulé, in a communiqué, «it is also the institution Câmara Municipal that is at stake, so the executive wants to see the situation clarified as soon as possible».
The initiative by the two opposition councillors, Rui Cristina and Cláudio Lima, follows news «disclosed in various media outlets, which call into question the good name of our municipality, municipal governance and the legality criteria inherent in the management of public money", namely the alleged favoring of a businessman.
On the part of the Chamber, which considers the news in question "fallacious" and "manifestly insulting to the holders of political offices, leaders and technicians of the City Council", the guarantee is given that the procedures referred to in the news "were carried out based on the public procurement law in force at the time, which was complied with in full».
"And so that there are no doubts about the application of public funds that are the subject of the news broadcast, the municipality is preparing a justification dossier that will be made known in due time", he added.
The city council executive, in his statement, also assured that «all the cases described are based on veiled insinuations and vague statements that aim, above all, to confuse and manipulate public opinion, creating doubts not only about the way in which the tender procedures and the use of public money, but also on the character and verticality of the people involved».
«It is of great importance to act quickly so that the published news is clarified and the facts ascertained. We intend to remove any doubts about the criteria used by the Municipality of Loulé in public procurement procedures», considered, for his part, Rui Cristina.
According to the councilor and also a deputy to the Assembly of the Republic elected by the PSD, “everything that is determined by the external audit must be communicated to the proper bodies. Our goal is transparency in municipal management and the full clarification to which all citizens are entitled».
In turn, Cláudio Lima, president of the PSD/Loulé states that “the alleged irregularities reported are serious and call into question the principles of good management of public funds”.
«Since the beginning of this mandate, the complaints sent to us by citizens and businessmen have increased, for indications of alleged irregular practices in terms of public procurement of goods and services by the Municipality of Loulé», he says.
Cláudio Lima also convened an emergency meeting of the PSD Loulé Political Commission “to assess this matter and its political consequences”.
Note: Updated at 12:48 pm with the position of the Loulé Chamber
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