Next anti-oil protest during Galp-ENI's court appearance in Loulé

Following an 'anti-oil and gas exploration' protest held last Friday, February 16th, in Loulé,  the Movement for an Algarve Free of Oil (MALP) and the Vila do Bispo Stop Oil Group, issued the following report.

 

Several individual citizens, and representatives of various anti-oil movements, protested to Loulé council against the exploration of gas and oil off the Algarve and Alentejo coastlines.

 

The representatives say it is time to move forward with concrete actions in close cooperation with the mayors group, AMAL, the varous citizens movements and all those associations that have been protesting against the exploitation of oil and gas in the Algarve and in other parts of the country.

 

Luís Monteiro, head of Loulé mayor’s office, informed the groups' representatoves that it is on the council’s agenda to organise a meeting of the council and representatives of the various movements, in order to move forward with a coherent anti-oil action plan for the region.

 

Monteiro also wants to clarify the situation over the legal proceeding (Providência Cautelar) lodged in court by AMAL, and its suspension.

 

The various anti-oil movements asked for the intervention of Loulé council and AMAL in requesting a meeting with Prime Minister, António Costa, and the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, to try and resolve the situation.

The Municipal Director of Loulé council, Dr. Júlio Sousa, said it was necessary to strengthen cooperation so that together we can stop this problem which is keeping the region on hold, so we can move forward with some real change in the country.

 

The Municipal Director stated also that the protection of tourism, fisheries and the environment will continue to be the biggest arguments in defence of a region that has to develop in a sustainable manner, arguments backed up by the Vice President, Dr. Pedro Pimpão.

 

Helena Rodrigues, a businesswoman in the nautical tourism arena, said the intention to explore and drill for oil and gas in a protected area, already is affecting  tourism.

 

Also present at the meeting was Pedro, aged 13, who asked that the adults protect the region for the future of his generation.

 

Before leaving, the delegation handed out documents about how people can help, as well as a chronology of the most important events, both national and international, relating to oil and gas exploration in Portugal. 

 

The representatives of the anti-oil groups were received by the Vice President, Dr. Pedro Pimpão, by the Municipal Director, Dr. Júlio Sousa, by Councilor Dr. Abílio Sousa and by the head of Loulé mayor’s office, Dr. Luís Monteiro.

 

The President of Loulé  council, Vítor Aleixo, was not present as he was attending a meeting on alternative energies.

 

The anti-oil movements said that the commitments made during the meeting offer an open door for collaboration between councils and citizens to carry out actions to alert the population and the business community to this problem.

 

The fact that the Aljezur test well was not sunk last summer has led many people to believe that the oil problem is resolved. It is necessary to alert people so that this obsolete industry does not start up in Portugal. People in New York and Paris have stood up against oil and have taken several companies to court for decades of damages. 

 

There is a protest planned in Loulé for the 28 February 2018, at 09.00 am, next to Loulé court where representatives of the oil companies, Galp and ENI,
are scheduled to make statements in court about exploration plans off the Algarve and Alentejo coastlines.

 

At a vigil in the square in front of the court, the Algarve People's Court, under the motto "GALP-ENI, Out of Here!" will condemn the moral and political bankruptcy of António Costa’s Socialist government which authorised the extension of the Galp-ENI oil exploration contract in the concession area off Aljezur.

 

The press release was signed by the heads of Algarve Livre de Petróleo and Stop Petróleo Vila do Bispo, João Eduardo Martins and Ana Carla Conceição.