The Algarve is too rich to help its poor

The Algarve is too rich to help the poor: this is the conclusion of the European Commission whose rules for State support of Europe’s poorest citizens preclude the Algarve's social aid institutions from applying successfully for grants to combat poverty and discrimination.

A complaint has been lodged by José Carlos Barros, a PSD MP in the Algarve, speaking during the 2019 Budget deliberations.

Barros says there are many examples of support denied to the Algarve’s poorest due to rules from Brussels thata re based on controversial accounting arithmetic that bans regions from aid packages if they show an income of between 75% and 90% of the EU average.

The specific objective of the ‘Social Investment Capacity Building Programme,’ is the promotion of entrepreneurship and social innovation, in order to improve social economy organisations. The Algarve need not apply.

These organisations include charities, the Misericórdias and other bodies set up to help the poorest and most disadvantaged in society.

According to Barros, this type of discrimination against the Algarve, "is repeated, multiplying and reaching the scale of scandal.”

What Barros is after is a recognition by the government that the Algarve is banned from support from Brussels and therefore deserves direct support from the State in the 2019 Budget.

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