The president of the Center’s Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR), Isabel Damasceno, guaranteed this Thursday, March 12, that the process of paying support for the reconstruction of houses damaged by storms is taking place within legal normality, without delays.
Speaking to Antena 1, the person responsible categorically rejected the criticisms of slowness that have emerged, arguing that the pace of payments is dictated by strict compliance with administrative procedures and technicians required by the management of public funds.
Damasceno clarified that there is no blockage or unjustified delay in the release of funds. The leader of CCDR Centro explained that the nature of the State’s money management requires thorough supervision of all phases of the work, highlighting that financial transfers are only processed as invoices are presented and that the execution of the work is duly validated on the ground by technical teams.
The operationalization of this financial support is based on a protocol established between CCDR Centro and the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion, a mechanism that allows the direct channeling of funds to local authorities. In this model, the Municipal Councils assume a central role, being responsible for direct management with the owners of the affected homes.
According to the person responsible, This objective-based transfer system ensures that money is released in tranches proportional to the physical progress of interventions, whilst ensuring transparency and avoiding irregularities in the application of cohesion funds.
To speed up the process, technical cooperation mechanisms were activated to assist municipalities in submitting applications, although the requirement for detailed documentation remains a non-negotiable pillar of administrative legality. Isabel Damasceno took advantage of her intervention on Antena 1 to leave a message of reassurance to families in the Center region who are still waiting for the rehabilitation of their homes to be completed, reiterating that the commitments made by the State will be fully fulfilled as the bureaucratic processes are completed.
CCDR Centro claims to maintain constant monitoring with the region’s mayors to monitor cases of greater social urgency, seeking to ensure that no citizen is left unprotected by administrative obstacles, without ever giving up on the rigor that the law imposes on the use of public resources destined for territorial cohesion.
The Minister of Territorial Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida, admitted Wednesday, March 11, that the process of supporting the reconstruction of houses affected by bad weather “is not going well”, but not through the Government’s fault, blaming the local authorities for the delay in the assessment.
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