Marinha Grande City Council
Damage in Marinha Grande caused by Kristin depression
The law provides for municipalities to be reimbursed by the central State for military expenses, but there are mayors concerned about the deadlines and the possibility of bearing the costs after the state of calamity ends.
The municipal councils of municipalities declared in a situation of calamity fully assumed the costs associated with the intervention of the Portuguese Armed Forces in civil protection operations that responded to the recent train of storms that affected several regions of the country. Food, accommodation and fuel for military vehicles were some of the costs borne locally, in the initial phase, as determined by law.
The obligation is provided for in the legal framework that regulates the activation of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Plan (PNEPC). In the context of a calamity, it is up to the municipalities to ensure the immediate costs of mobilizing resources, including those of the Armed Forces, and subsequently reimbursed by the central state.
However, mayors interviewed expressed concern about the lack of deadlines for the return of funds. “We don’t know how long it will take to get the money back. It could take months“, says a source.
The law provides that the mayor can request the president of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority for the intervention of the Armed Forces in his municipality, with the PNEPC being responsible for defining the financial management framework. However, once the period of calamity has ended and the national plan has been deactivated, there are situations in which the costs are borne exclusively by the municipalities, no later refund.
“There were cases prior to the recent storms where the Armed Forces were called in and those costs were entirely undertaken at local level“, warns João Lobo, president of the Chamber of Proença-a-Nova and the Intermunicipal Community of Beira Baixa.
Civil Protection, however, considers that it is “manifestly premature” to comment on the deadlines. “There is recovery work related to the passage of the various depressions and there is still no documentary evaluation that will result from this”, argues the entity.
In total, 90 municipalities were covered by the calamity situation declared by the Government.
