Politics

Porto will host the European Union Social Summit on 7 May. The meeting is organised by the Portuguese Government jointly with the European Commission, under the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The summit is organised around two events: a high-level conference on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, on 7 May at the Customs Building, and an informal meeting of Heads of State or Government on 8 May, at the Super Bock Arena – Pavilhão Rosa Mota.

Porto City Hall intends to strengthen the budget to the municipal programme Porto Solidary with 1.050 million euros, to be implemented in 2021, 2022 and 2023. This proposition will be presented during the Executive Meeting on 3rd May. This is a proposal by the municipal majority headed by Rui Moreira.

The Municipal Executive headed by Rui Moreira proposes to give a 200 thousand euros financial support to the entrepreneurs in the travelling amusement sector, which has been hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. The proposal will be presented during the Municipal Executive Meeting, scheduled for 3rd May.

Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira presented welcoming remarks during the R&T Conference Impact of Disruptive Technologies on Defence that is held, this year, under the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The event was scheduled to take place in Porto, but took to the virtual format due to the ongoing pandemic.

Porto City Hall has built a robust program for the administration of vaccines in the city, with a capacity to inoculate circa 2000 people per day; the drive-thru vaccination centre, set up in the Queimódromo, is ready to go since February. The Municipality of Porto has been in constant communication with the two ACES [Health Centre Groups) in the city and articulated the availability of vaccination sites.

The Mayors Summit Against Anti-Semitism is scheduled for 16th March and it gathers mayors from all parts of the world, from Porto to Athens, and from Pittsburgh to Frankfurt, in Germany, the online event organiser, jointly with the Combat Anti-Semitism organisation.

The President of the Republic came back to Porto, as he had done five years before, to mark his inauguration ceremony. After being sworn in in Lisbon, he headed to Porto for an ecumenical ceremony, where he was welcomed by the Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira. This is the President’s second mandate and the ceremony was attended by representatives of several religious beliefs. “I am filled with pride, because Porto is a city of tolerance”, affirmed Rui Moreira.

The first Porto City Hall budget revision for 2021 is now concluded. The Municipal Assembly agreed to enter another 51.7 million euros to support the assistance measures that mitigate the harm caused by Covid-19, during the Special Session of the Municipal Assembly. The solution, Rui Moreira advances, would be in the review of the Law of Local Finance, which would enable access by the Municipality to other income, like the revenue resulting from VAT.

The Municipal Executive approved the first 2021 budget review yesterday morning, in the exact amount of 51.7 million euros, during a private meeting held by videoconference. Rui Moreira admits to the possibility that the Municipality further reinforces the pandemic fight effort in the nearest future. But, as these are uncertain times, Mayor Rui Moreira deems wise not to “be out of ammunition just yet”, even so because this crisis can get worse.

The Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira, welcomed two candidates to the Portuguese Presidential election that will take place the coming year. Vitorino Silva visited today the Mayor at the City Hall, just a few weeks from the visit by candidate Ana Gomes. They both went to the City Council to offer their compliments.