JOSÉ MENDES Bota, Social Democrat Member of Parliament for the Algarve, has sharply criticised the government’s budget proposals, calling it “the worst budget of this millennium”.
Bota says that the state budget for 2006 mistreats the region on several levels, particularly by reducing spending plans for the region contained in the PIDDAC, (a document outlining plans for development, investments and spending from the Central Administration)
Bota notes that next year’s budget allocates 171.8 million euros to the Algarve, a figure that is 34.5 per cent down on last year’s figure of 262.2 million euros. Bota also notes that this figure compares unfavourably to the 28 per cent cut envisaged in the PIDDAC as a whole, and concludes that the Algarve has been unfairly penalised.
Bota also highlights the fact that the budget report ignores any references to the proposed Hospital Central for the Algarve and tourism in the region. He also says that there is scant assistance for farmers. “There is no support worthy of these farmers who have suffered incalculable damages from drought and frost,” he said.
“It is unacceptable, both ethically and politically, because the Socialist Party won the national elections in February on the back of a series of promises that they clearly had no intention of fulfilling,” he declares.
