Paulo Sá questioned the new Minister of the Economy, António Pires de Lima, over the " abandonment " of the roadworks and redevelopment of the EN125, but got the same old answer, silence.
During detailed discussions on the 2014 State Budget the MP demanded to know the date of resumption of work on the EN125, how long work would take and whether the government intends to renegotiate the contract with Algarve Coastline for the work.
In April 2009 Estradas de Portugal sublet the contract for the road's maintenance and redevelopment to the Rotas do Algarve Litoral company, whose contract stipulated that the redevelopment of the EN 125 was completed by 2012.
The EN 125 development work was viewed as a sop to those complaning about the imposition of tolls on the via do Infante, but was cancelled on cost grounds shortly afterwards leaving the Algarve motorist with the choice of an expensive motorway or a crumbling EN road.
The communist party has already presented the National Assembly with a draft resolution demanding that the government completes the works on the road as well as renegotiating the contract with Rotas do Algarve Litoral, but the proposal was rejected by a parliamentary majority.
At the hearing on Wednesday Paulo Sá said the minister "again opted for silence, not answering any of the questions raised by the party about the redevelopment work on the EN 125 in an attitude of profound contempt for the Algarve and its residents."
