Estela Silva / Lusa
Rui Moreira, Mayor of Porto
Just a day after the proposal to give two properties for the construction of mosques be known, Rui Moreira retreated because it should be his successor to make the decision.
The mayor of Porto decided this Friday to remove the proposals for assignment of buildings to two mosques of the Executive’s private meeting, scheduled for Monday, as it is not a consensual issue.
In a statement sent to Lusa, Rui Moreira explains that he made this decision after Listening to the Urbanism CouncilorPedro Baganha, a decision that had his consent.
“The current municipal mandate is coming to an end And it will compete for those who will govern the city to make the decisions they understand for convenient. It is not recommended that, within a few months of the electoral act, initiatives that are not consensual, ”understands the independent.
Saying that this issue is not consensual, the mayor considers that the executive should not contribute to the exacerbation of tensions in the city.
Rui Moreira says, however, that the city of Porto has a history of tolerance, noting that during World War II Largest Synagogue of the Iberian Peninsula He kept his doors open socks with the German school of Porto.
“At the beginning of this century, evangelical churches settled in the city and were well welcomed. Today, their temples that welcome many immigrants and the same is true of the Hindu community with old traditions between us,” he says.
Insisting on the idea that the Porto is an inclusive cityRui Moreira points out that there are several mosques in the city that work in informal spaces.
And adds: “These are places of worship Without the minimum of conditions where believers of Islam are gathered daily. ”
According to the mayor of Porto, immigration is a reality that provides the country and the city a “huge diversity and a deep sociocultural change” that cannot be ignored and requires that active policies of reception and integration be fulfilled.
“Because we know what was the impact of exclusion, in other countries that preceded us, we should not ignore the reality with which we are confronted,” he says.
In your opinion, this It is a fracturing theme which should be debated in the city and the city and should not pass by the election campaign.
“It is a theme that will actually test the ecumenical character of our city and their political, social, cultural and religious actors. It is a theme that the current executive, to which I prescribe, will not condition, ”he concludes.
The Porto Chamber would vote on a proposal to assign surface rights of Two vacant properties For the construction of two mosques, consolidating itself as “an inclusive city”.
“The construction of a mosque in the city of Porto is a crucial step in consolidating an inclusive city that promotes the peaceful coexistence Of various religions, reflecting not only the cultural diversity of the city, but also its commitment to the fundamental principles of religious freedom ”, could read in the proposal that would be voted and to which Lusa had access.
