The Portuguese Communist Party’s Algarve divisional office stated today that the recent demolition notices sent to 22 Ria Formosa islanders has nothing at all to do with, ‘defending the environment.’
The new administrative seizures, planned by Polis Litoral Ria Formosa as precursors to the demolition of yet more houses in the settlements of Farol and Hangars, "has as its ultimate objective, in the name of defending environmental values, to gradually expel the local communities from the Ria Formosa islands, to deliver this valuable territory to the interests of economic groups, as indeed happens along much of the Algarve’s coast."
In a statement sent to newsrooms today, the Algarve Communists state that "it is necessary to say – enough!" to the process initiated by the last coalition Government and which is being continued by the current Socialist Party Government.
"It is wrong for the Socialist Party and its government not to recognise the villages of the Ria Formosa islands and their economic, social and cultural value," state the Communists who accuse the Socialist Party of behaving badly and continuing to posture, depending on the electoral cycle, saying one thing in the Algarve and then doing the opposite in parliament.
The public can draw their own conclusions as, "despite the various promises of redevelopment and investment in these areas, the only tangible thing that has actually gone ahead has been the demolitions.”
The Algarve Communists reaffirm their commitment to the people of the Ria Formosa islands and will, "support their legitimate struggle to defend the right to live and work in the Ria Formosa," adding that they will continue to intervene "at all levels and in a coherent way, be it in the Algarve or in parliament."
Meanwhile, the clock is ticking, with more administrative seizures scheduled for the end of this month, more court petitions planned by those islanders who can afford it and the promise by the President of the Republic that he will be keeping an eye on developments.
