Faro municipality has seen its 2014 budget of €68 million approved under a cloud of controversy and accusations from the opposition who say it is a “badly drafted bill” and should have been “renegotiated”.
Under the leadership of Rogério Bacalhau from the PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM coalition – which does not hold a majority ruling – Faro Câmara has for years been making the headlines of the local press for its serious financial situation, recording a global debt of around €62 million.
The voting for this year’s budget, which was only approved because the Socialist PS party abstained, was another opportunity for the opposition BE, CDU and independent politician José Vitorino (a former Faro Mayor) to lash out at the executive.
In a press statement, Vitorino said the budget was “a badly-drafted bill” and accused the PS for holding responsibility in the matter, for deciding to abstain when it should have voted against the document in order for it to be “reworked”.
“The PS washed its hands of it all. This budget should not have been approved. The Câmara’s financial situation is difficult, but there is a different path that should have been taken to ensure a better future: substantial spending cuts, other forms of revenue that were not contemplated (in the budget) and a global financial restructuring,” he said.
Photo: Faro Mayor Rogério Bacalhau
