<![CDATA[ Presidente da República questiona eficácia da lei dos solos em ano de eleições autárquicas ]]>

The President of the Republic questioned this Tuesday the effectiveness of the so-called land law in a year of local elections, stating that "the diploma leaves the decision in the hands of the local authorities" and that "the occasion is not easy" for the local authorities to apply it.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa raised this issue in statements to journalists at the Belém Palace in Lisbon, stating that he has been reflecting on "a factor that no one has talked about lately" regarding the decree-law that changed the Legal Framework for Territorial Management Instruments, the so-called land law, which he enacted at the end of last year.

According to the Head of State, regarding this law, "a small issue has not yet been considered, which is the following: the diploma leaves the decision in the hands of the local authorities, it is not the Government that makes the fundamental decision, it is the local authorities, specifically the municipal assemblies".

"And what I have been thinking is the following, and I have been thinking because several mayors have spoken to me about it: what is the position of mayors, in an election year, of being called upon to decide on this matter?", he explained.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa questioned "who is the mayor who feels very comfortable making decisions about land use, in his local authority, in the municipality, in the municipal assembly, months before local elections"

The President of the Republic repeated that several mayors have spoken to him about this matter, stating that "the occasion is not easy" to make decisions, "in this context, at this distance from the local elections".

"It has to do, in essence, with the effectiveness or otherwise of the legislative change, at a time when the issue that will truly be on the table will be the local elections", he considered.

The head of state argued that "in the local elections there will naturally be scrutiny, that is, very tight control, of all decisions, particularly those concerning urban planning matters and which have a very large economic and social impact".

Asked whether this suggests repealing the law, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa replied: "No. I am saying what is a difficulty that arises at this moment, in this period, until the local elections."