Szilard Koszticsak/Epa
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro
The Prime Minister’s office said that the communication was made to eliminate any remaining questions about the regularity of the work.
According to the Lisbon City Council was only notified of the works for the joining of two apartments from the Prime Minister’s family in Lapa on March 7, after the case was reported by the press.
Communication to the House occurred three days after CNN Portugal advanced that there was a risk that the works were irregular. Montenegro’s family claims that the works were exempt from previous controlbut the question divides experts in urban law.
The notification to the municipality also happened a day after the observer questioned the government about the case. The day before, on March 6, Montenegro’s office said that no communication had been made on that day. However, the next day, the youngest son of the Prime Minister formalized communication to the municipality.
Montenegro’s office justified the decision, stating that they chose to notify the Chamber to avoid any doubt about the legality of the works. The family argues that the responsible technicians initially considered communication unnecessary, since the work did not affect the structure of the building.
The central issue revolves around or not to communicate exempt interventions of prior control. According to the Legal Regime of Urbanization and Building (RJUE), Only works that affect structural stability of a building require prior communication or licensing.
Os experts diverge Regarding whether the intervention in question – involving the opening of a slab to install an internal ladder – would require this communication before the start of the works.
The Prime Minister assured that all necessary documents, including terms of technical responsibility on structural security and seismic vulnerability, are properly prepared for any inspections.
The Lisbon Chamber, in turn, has already known that it has not identified any illegality or formal complaint in the process.
