The construction of a new Algarve desalination plant is set to move forward, but the Minister for the Environment has said she intends to meet with the mayor of Albufeira following his public criticism of the project.
Environment and Energy Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho said she wants to speak with Albufeira mayor Rui Cristina, of the populist right-wing Chega party, after the local authority leader voiced opposition to the construction of the desalination facility planned for the municipality.
According to the minister, the project is ready to advance and construction work could begin at the start of the week, despite criticism online and in the press. However, she said she wishes to hold further discussions with the mayor, who described the project as a “serious mistake” in a video shared on social media.
Speaking to journalists during a visit to beach sand replenishment works in Loulé, Maria da Graça Carvalho stated that since taking office and inheriting the desalination project for Albufeira, it has continued to progress and now “meets all the conditions to proceed”. The project has received a favourable Environmental Impact Statement and undergone a public consultation process involving institutions, academic experts and non-governmental organisations.
It has subsequently obtained a Declaration of Conformity of the Execution Project (DECAP), meaning that it has already been granted authorisation to begin construction, issued last Friday, she added.
“It is an irreversible process in the sense that it has not yet begun only because I want the opportunity to speak once more with the mayor of Albufeira,” the minister said when questioned about whether the project would proceed despite the criticism from the local authority.
Maria da Graça Carvalho recalled that the desalination plant was first proposed during a period of extreme drought in the Algarve. Scientific studies continue to indicate declining rainfall and increased evaporation levels in the region in the coming years, making droughts “increasingly frequent” and affecting agriculture, tourism, green spaces and domestic water consumption.
The Environment Minister insisted that “this project will go ahead”, arguing that it will provide the Algarve with a safeguard against water restrictions or supply shortages during future severe droughts.
Her remarks came in response to a video published by the mayor of Albufeira, in which Rui Cristina claimed there had been no “formal act, protocol, consultation or decision” demonstrating municipal support for the project.
“And I say without hesitation: we are firmly opposed. We are not talking about just any location, we are talking about sensitive ecosystems and Praia da Falésia, one of Albufeira’s greatest symbols, a world reference and a natural heritage site of exceptional value,” he said, warning that the works would have a “profound impact” and constitute “a political, environmental and territorial mistake”.
The mayor argued that Albufeira City Council “cannot accept sacrificing this heritage through a lack of courage to pursue structural solutions” and pledged that, should construction move ahead, the municipality would take “all necessary steps to defend Albufeira and its residents”.
Asked whether a date had been set for the meeting, the minister said none had yet been scheduled but confirmed she would contact the mayor in the coming days.
Source: LUSA
