Lisbon City Hall No Longer Interested in Using Military Hospital for Immigrant Housing, Says Government

Lisbon City Hall's Change of Heart

The Minister of the Presidency announced on Wednesday that the Lisbon City Hall (CML) has "lost interest" in repurposing the former Military Hospital of Belém for temporary housing for immigrants. This decision, according to the government, is respected.

"The Mayor of Lisbon listened to public appeals indicating that the community does not want that facility used for this purpose. We even considered the possibility of transforming it into an intergenerational center in the future. Nevertheless, the CML has opted for a different strategy, and we respect that," stated António Leitão Amaro during a parliamentary committee meeting on Constitutional Affairs.

In response to a question from Bloco de Esquerda deputy Fabian Figueiredo, the minister noted that the CML has sought an alternative strategy and has now abandoned the protocol that would have allowed the government to allocate the former military hospital for temporary immigrant accommodation.

"The government was willing to proceed; we prepared the protocol and adjusted it for future development into an intergenerational center. However, it required additional financial negotiations, which I understand the CML's hesitations about," he added.

Leitão Amaro emphasized that the government supports the CML in its initiatives, as it is indeed making significant efforts to find solutions for these individuals. "Any change in strategy by the CML is respected by the government," he concluded.