António Pedro Santos / Lusa
The Assistant Minister and Territorial Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida.
Delays in execution may force the government to choose which projects receive financing, with the priority to go to lost grant investments.
The government recently reaffirmed the commitment to execute all investments in the Plan of Recovery and Resilience (PRR), but some works can be excluded If it is necessary to make choices, announced the Minister of Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida.
Speaking to the public, Castro Almeida recalled that there are different priorities within PRR. “If there is a need to make choices between one investment or another, we will give priority to investments funded through Lost Subsidies”He said.
This means that among the projects at risk of falling from PRR are the construction of affordable cost housing, student accommodation and some mobilizing agendas, according to the. Previously, investments such as the Lisbon Metro Violet Line and the Pisão Dam had already been taken from the plan.
The reprogramming of the PRR presented in February to the European Commission has already excluded 3300 public housing houses at affordable prices. The goal of 3500 dwellings remains, but There are challenges in executionbecause many municipalities have not yet hired the works, and there are difficulties in access to loans. In the student accommodation sector, which provided 18,000 beds, the intermediate goals were eliminated, and there are delays in execution.
Another affected area is mobilizing agendas, especially those related to energy. The lack of market maturity and the difficulties in implementing green hydrogen compromises some goals. According to Pedro Dominguinhos, chairman of the National Follow -up Commission of the PRR, there may be a Reduction of ambition in these investments.
In addition, some factories that should be built under mobilizing agendas may not advance within the stipulated period. Alternatively, there may only be pilot units to test the concepts. Other projects funded by loans, such as the construction and requalification of military roads and infrastructure, face minor delays, but should be completed.
The government chose to withdraw from PRR the investments at risk of not being finalized until June 2026. Expansion of Lisbon Metro linesthe dealinizer of the Algarve and the Pisão Dam. These works will have to seek alternative financing, either in Portugal 2030, the European Investment Bank or the State Budget.
From April, PRR’s financial execution has advanced from 19% to 31%. “The results obtained so far reflect the government’s absolute commitment to the execution of the PRR, a commitment that was fundamental to the recovery of initial delays and that will be maintained throughout the process”, Points out Castro Almeida.
