The Minister of the Environment, João Pedro Matos Fernandes, has come to the rescue of the city’s Socialist Party mayor, António Pina (pictured).
On Monday's agenda, as minister João Matos Fernandes visited Olhão's town hall, was the hot topic of the feud between mayor Pina and Sebastião Teixeira at the Portuguese Environment Agency which has resulted in Teixeira issuing a demolition notice to a British couple who were half way though building a home on Armona island.
The property in question, owned by Paul Roseby and James Tod, is on Public Maritime Land, as are 139 other Armona island properties, yet the house received planning permission from the town hall. Two old structures were demolished and a new house was started, only to be halted with a demolition notice with a start date of August 1st, 2017.
Mayor Pina said he was very pleased with the talks he had with the minister, "I have reason to be satisfied, and there are many Olhanenses who have houses on the island of Armona."
The optimism of António Miguel Pina is based on what he calls a commitment from João Matos Fernandes that, "by the end of 2017, the all-important Armona Intervention and Re-qualification Plan (PIR) will be approved by Fernandes."
This moves a line on the Armona map to incorporate this group of illegal properties with other legal houses on Armona, a island that comes under Olhão council’s management.
In addition, the minister made it clear that before the end of 2017, the council’s concession for Armona will be renewed for another period of 30 years, along with this new land deliniation so as to “to safeguard the interests of all those who own a house on the island.”
Mayor Pina’s praise for the minister approached lyricism, commenting that, "as a result of these talks, I once again came to realise that we have in the Ministry of the Environment a skillful negotiator, a man who is attentive to the details of an area such as the island of Armona and of its inhabitants. We have been able to demonstrate to the minister the importance of these two documents, and he has been sensitive to our appeals."
Paul Roseby commented to algarvedailynews this morning,
“We haven't heard it officially and no contact has been made to tell us the news, but if this is true and we are included in the new PIR, we are thrilled especially for all the islanders who deserve peace and security for the very first time on Armona.
"Pina has pulled the rabbit out of the hat for his citizens and we thank him hugely. It's what we've been fighting for.”
“Today is a very happy day for all Olhanenses, particularly the residents of Armona island," said António Miguel Pina after leaving the meeting with the Environment Minister.