MÁRIO SOARES, a respected former President and Prime Minister of Portugal, has been caught carrying out illegal building works at his Algarve summer home.
Following a tip-off from an unnamed local resident, Portimão Câmara issued an injunction this week, stopping the unlicensed works that were taking place at the former President’s luxury villa in Praia do Vau. No planning permission had been requested for the works that include the replacement of a collapsed wall and the construction of new pillars.
According to newspaper reports, this is the second time Mário Soares has failed to respect the legal requirements regarding construction.Apparently the former Socialist leader had works suspended on the swimming pool at his Praia do Vau residence in the 1990s as no licence was in place.
Following the shock revelation, José Francisco Sobral, the Portimão Councillor responsible for the control of building works in the borough, told the media: “First we thought we were only dealing with repair works to the roof, something which does not require a licence. However, it then became clear that work was taking place to build a new structure following the collapse of a wall. A project must be presented and approved by the Câmara due to the stability guidelines and safety implications.”
The former President will be fined for the breach of council regulations and the builders will not be able to complete the work until the necessary paperwork has been processed.
Mário Soares and his wife, Maria Barroso are known to spend the summer months at their Algarve villa which is located only 5km away from Montes de Alvor, the village where she was born.
