Macário Correia, the Social Democratic President of Faro Câmara, elected in 2009, has asked for clarification of the court judgment imposing the end of his mandate.
The politician was condemned last summer by the Supreme Administrative Court to lose office but he made an appeal to the Constitutional Court which was unsuccessful. As the current President of Faro, he still intends to stay in charge while this right remains enshrined in law.
While he was president of Tavira Câmara, Macário Correia was accused of violating several regional urbanisation documents between 2005 and 2009, including the PROT/Algarve (Land Management Plan) and Tavira’s Municipal Master Plan (PDM) authorising construction in places not permitted by law.
At a press conference held on Friday January 25, Macário Correia refused to confirm whether he would be running for the next mandate or keeping the support of PSD, claiming that “this is not the place or the time for election campaigns”.
After being convicted, in June 2012, for “illicit conduct, violating the land and urban management regulations”, the Court rejected his appeal two weeks ago and confirmed that his current mandate would be his last. The Constitutional Court was the last resort to which he could appeal.
According to Macário, the court’s judgement was “based on assumptions that are not true” and he therefore declared that he will fight the legal battle “until the end”.
Macário Correia said he had a clear conscience and feels maligned and misjudged because he vows he did not commit any illegality while he was President of the Tavira Muncipality.
