The city of Porto has validated a second mandate of Mayor Rui Moreira

On 1 October the city of Porto has expressed its will in the polls and has validated the mandate of Mayor Rui Moreira. The formal inauguration of the Municipal Executive for the four-year period 2017-2021 took place on 25 October.

Mayor Rui Moreira' second inauguration speech happened in Rivoli Theatre. This ceremony usually takes place at the City Hall, so this was a signal of the importance that the Municipal Government attaches to culture.

Porto plays a major role in the region north of Portugal and in the affirmation of the country on the international stage.

Capacity to attract investment 

On local and social sustainability, Mayor Rui Moreira recalled that Porto is increasingly attractive to overseas visitors and investors. Therefore, "the City Hall cannot but just be a simplifying agent. Debureaucratizing is not enough any longer, and the use of taxation as a tool is not the best incentive for attracting investment", the Mayor stated.

The Municipality will continue to help whoever wants to invest "through strategic advice, and identifying the best location and existing resources, mapping and listing the competitive advantages that Porto can offer. In this process the brand Porto. is attracting increased attention from investors", Rui Moreira added.

Regarding tourism, "that is doing so much to promote the city, with an extraordinary impact on rehabilitation, entrepreneurship, job creation, and the revival of trade", Mayor Moreira declared "it is a fundamental sector that must be guided by sustainability". As such, the mayor further said that "we need to make sure that tourism is not a cause for environmental and social constraints to the life quality of people from Porto and all those who choose Porto to live". "We aim at a friendly city, prepared for the future, open to families and youth, caring for the elders, but also preparing for coming generations". To doing this, "it is vital to invest more on sports and the enjoyment of open spaces".

Rui Moreira closed his speech spotlighting Culture, a sector that "will continue to represent our main investments".

By holding his inaugural speech at the Rivoli, in a public ceremony, in which citizens could take part, the re-elected Mayor emphasised the continued support to a sector - Culture - "which is accessible to all, a cosmopolitan culture opening up new perspectives without losing sight of our traditions and our people. Culture is, take my word, the most important foundation towards an informed, demanding and educated society".