Antônio Pedro Santos / EPA
Carlos Moedas at the Web Summit
Another edition of the Web Summit started in Lisbon, but the technological event no longer enchants Lisbon residents who complain about the problems with traffic, public transport and accumulated trash in the capital.
The Web Summit 2024 which is taking place at FIL, in Lisbon, until Thursday, November 14th, will cost the Lisbon City Council around 7 million euros (CML).
It is financial support identical to that of 2023, according to a note from the municipality sent to the (CM). It gives something like “1.75 million euros” for each day of the event, according to the newspaper’s accounts.
The municipality justifies the investment with the fact that it is “one of the most relevant innovation, technology and entrepreneurship conferences worldwide”, pointing out in the note sent to the CM that “its holding in Lisbon has contributed, in a decisive way, to the development of local, regional and national entrepreneurship and to reinforce the international visibility of the city and the country as an excellent investment destination”.
The investment of public money is not of the order of 11 million euros annually until 2028, with the municipality taking the largest share.
“Lisbon stop for unicorns”
The 70 thousand entries planned for the Web Summit were completely sold out and, therefore, the event continues to attract the participation of many companies.
However, it also attracts more and more criticism from Lisbon residentsincluding some opposition politicians, such as the communist João Ferreira, who criticizes the amounts spent on .
It’s “more than Carris expects to spend on investment in the tram fleet” and “four times what will be spent on income subsidiesor the same amount expected to be spent on support for homeless people in 2024″, points out João Ferreira in a publication on the social network X.
🦄 An edition of the websummit starts today, with public support of millions €💶 From CMLisboa’s budget comes more than what Carris plans to spend on investment in the tram fleet 🚃, 4x what will be spent on income subsidies or the same as expected spend on supporting homeless people in 2024.
— João Ferreira (@joao_ferreira33)
The director of the documentary “Impossible Cities”, Ricardo Moreira, who specializes in climate change, also notes that of the “7 million euros of our taxes for the Web Summit”, “4 million” leave Carris.
“Lisbon stop for unicorns”still criticizes Ricardo Moreira on social media X, highlighting that “the city is not moving”. “Currencies worsened the already serious situation and Carris is slower than ever”, he notes.
🚨Summit morna website
🔥But there are 7 million euros in Lisbon on fire
4 million coming from Carris
🦄They play unicorns with our time and money
— Ricardo Moreira (@ricardosmoreira)
In the comments from X users on the profile of the mayor of Lisbon, many also talk about the garbage issue that accumulates on the streets of Lisbon. User Manuel Barbosa even asks the mayor if he “managed arrange enough screens to hide from visitors of the event the city’s trash.”
The Lisbon of Coins
— Filipe Lima Bacelar (@184Bace184)
Chaotic traffic with road closures
Those who travel by car around the city also have criticisms of the Web Summit due to the cutting of several streets from the parish of Parque das Nações, in Lisbon, due to the event being held in that area.
Traffic restrictions have been in place since October 21st and will continue until November 20th, which is leaving several desperate Lisbon people.
Among the streets affected by the cuts are Alameda dos Oceanosbetween the Viceroys roundabout and Rua Mar da China, and the Indian Avenue between Alameda dos Oceanos and Avenida Dom João II.
A Rua do Bojador ea Avenue of Good Hope They also have restricted traffic and can only be used by vehicles authorized in some areas.
