Lack of professionals delays opening of rear unit in Viana do Castelo

The PAN today denounced to the court the “alleged non-compliance” of a judicial decision by the Viana do Castelo Chamber, which slaughtered at least 10 plane trees in Darque and claims to have legitimacy for that.

“PAN today filed an application with the Administrative and Tax Court of Braga with a view to denouncing the alleged non-compliance of the Viana do Castelo Chamber, which proceeded today to slaughter at least a dozen plantains despite that act [o abate] if he is suspended by the judicial body ”, says the party in a note today sent to newsrooms.

Questioned today by the Lusa agency, the Mayor of Viana do Castelo José Maria Costa, rejected any non-compliance, alleging that the reasoned resolution presented by the municipality before the court invoking the public interest of the undertaking “legitimizes the execution of the works, immediately” .

At issue is the slaughter of 30 of the 170 plane trees on the 628 meters of Avenida do Cabedelo, in the parish of Darque, for the construction of a roundabout, scheduled for the last phase of access to the city’s sea port.

Construction of the roundabout has been halted since 9/11.

Initially, it was embargoed by residents on that avenue who, however, reached an agreement with the municipality.

In October, the PAN advanced a precautionary measure with the Administrative and Fiscal Court of Braga (TAFC) to stop the cutting of those copies.

The mayor of Viana do Castelo said that “given the importance of the work and its public interest, the municipality of Viana do Castelo has advanced a reasoned resolution of public interest, under the provisions of article 128 of the Code of Procedure in the Administrative Courts ”.

“This fact was communicated, on November 12, to the plaintiff, PAN, his legal representative, the contractor and the TAF of Braga, and which legitimizes the execution of the works immediately”, he reinforced.

The PAN, in the note sent to the newsrooms today, said “I cannot find a justification and an ethical-legal explanation for the actions carried out today by the Viana do Castelo Chamber”.

“In spite of the legal provisions, he decided to proceed with the slaughter of at least a dozen plantains, without even waiting, as required by law, for the court order”, explained Inês de Sousa Real, member of the PAN national political commission, cited in the note.

For the responsible, “the autarchy understood, making its own and biased interpretation of the law, to move forward without the court having ruled on the object of the lawsuit until today”.

“It is a serious breach of the law and of the respect that the autarchy should show before the appeal of any entity to the courts. The PAN cannot only agree with this type of action, which represents disrespect for the judicial institutions, but also for the citizens who, in the most diverse ways, have risen up against this council decision ”, he adds.

The party adds that “everything will be done in the sense that there is accountability for the act, which once again puts economic interests at the forefront of protecting the grove.”

The construction of road accesses to the sea port started in February 2019. The new accesses, 8.8 kilometers long and claimed for more than four decades, will have two carriageways 3.5 meters wide, and represent an investment more than nine million euros.

The work is financed by the Viana do Castelo Chamber and the Administration of the Ports of Douro, Leixões and Viana do Castelo (APDL).

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