MP and former Algarve PSD party leader Mendes Bota has sent a letter to the government questioning what he describes as the misappropriation of Algarve funds by the Portugal Tourism Board (Turismo de Portugal).
The politician says an amount to the tune of 1.2 million Euros, which was to be paid in set monthly instalments of around 515,000 Euros, did not reach the then Região de Turismo do Algarve’s bank account.
However, he says, when a new law to reorganise and establish the legal basis of tourism areas in Portugal entered into force in 2008, the monthly payments to the newly-established tourism entity for the Algarve Entidade Regional de Turismo do Algarve (ERTA) were withheld from October 20 2008 until the end of that year.
Mendes Bota says he wants to know if the government has recognised this situation and when it will be resolved.
A spokesman from the Portugal Tourism Board told the Algarve Resident this week: “We will respond to Mendes Bota about this situation and follow the normal procedures in a case like this, after we are presented with his complaint from the Government.”
