Yesterday, February 22, the PSD asked for an urgent hearing by the Minister of Housing on a property purchase deal by the Vila Real de Santo António municipality, questioning the transaction values and the lack of prior checks.
In a request addressed to the chairman of the Commission for Economy, Public Works, Planning and Housing, the PSD states that the Municipality of Vila Real de Santo António “proposed to acquire”, under the “1st Law” program and with funds of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), a “set of houses built with various benefits from the State, including land at preferential prices, reduced interest rates and tax benefits”.
“Surprisingly, the properties that a year earlier were purchased for 4,8 million by private individuals are now paid for with public funding for 8,8 million. And the said transaction is incomprehensibly made at generous current market prices, without taking into account the benefits it gained in the construction phase”, reads in the document.
In addition, according to the PSD, there is no evidence that “the collaboration agreements” to transfer the funds for the purchase of housing have been validated by the local authority bodies or have undergone a “minimum verification of requirements” by the Court of Justice. Accounts.
“In addition, the value of this operation almost doubles the sale value proposed just a year and a half ago to the respective resident tenants, who remain…!”, he refers.
The PSD thus points out that “it is not understandable that the acquisition of this housing for 8,8 million euros was, on the initiative of the municipality, exempt from prior approval by the Court of Auditors”.
On the other hand, the Social Democrats recall that the list of people who will be covered by the 1st Law program, which aims to support access to housing, must be “approved by the municipal bodies and homologated or certified by the Central Administration”.
According to the PSD, in the specific case of these houses, there was no “certification that the beneficiaries of these houses meet the eligibility requirements established in the '1st Law' program”.
“Heard in the media, the purchasing municipality is unable to explain the options, assessments and lack of procedures”, he highlights.
Considering that the Government “followed, evaluated, validated and supported this process, publicized and celebrated as an excellent option”, the PSD argues that, since it “covered and financed the deal”, the executive should be heard.
"In this circumstance, the deputies of the PSD Parliamentary Group request Your Excellency (...) the necessary steps in order to urgently hear the Minister of Housing, to provide the necessary clarifications on the matter", reads in the document .
Comments