Summary:
Bloco de Esquerda denounces illegal direct contract for homeless accommodation.
Municipal Police's action lacked social support, raising concerns.
€184,000 contract deemed illegitimate as situation was known for months.
Mayor Carlos Moedas accused of using homeless for propaganda.
City council approved integrated shelter response, despite opposition.
Bloco de Esquerda Raises Concerns
The Bloco de Esquerda (BE) in the Lisbon City Council has raised alarms regarding a direct contract awarded by the Municipal Police for the accommodation of homeless individuals. This contract, valued at €184,000, was deemed illegal by BE council member Beatriz Gomes Dias, who argues that the justification for this contract was illegitimate as the situation of the homeless near Igreja dos Anjos had been known for months.
Details of the Operation
The operation aimed to rehouse 55 homeless immigrants who were staying near the church on October 4. The announcement came from Lisbon's mayor Carlos Moedas during a commemorative ceremony for the Republic's establishment.
Lack of Support
BE criticized the operation, stating that the Municipal Police acted without any social support during the removal of homeless individuals. The response was deemed inadequate, with BE asserting that the situation could have been better managed by involving various social support entities.
Questionable Legitimacy
The party also questioned the legitimacy of using direct contracting for this operation, as it bypassed public bidding processes. Gomes Dias pointed out that direct contracts for urgent situations should only be used in unexpected circumstances, which was not the case here, as the homeless had been in the area for months.
Political Implications
Gomes Dias accused Mayor Moedas of using this operation as a propaganda tool during the October 5 celebrations. She emphasized that a more structural response should have been implemented, rather than simply placing individuals in hostels.
Future Actions
In response to the issue, the city council approved a proposal from BE in November to create an integrated shelter response for the homeless, ensuring essential services like hygiene, food, health, and regularization support. This proposal, however, faced opposition from the PSD/CDS-PP leadership, which governs without an absolute majority.
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