Lisbon, Feb. 18, 2025 (Lusa) - The Lisbon Municipal Assembly on Tuesday approved the city executive's proposal for an investment of €19.26 million in a project to rehabilitate the Tapada das Necessidades, a former royal hunting ground that is now a run-down park, next to a palace that is now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with work to be overseen by the Lisbon Tourism Association until 2028.
The distribution of costs and multi-annual commitments for the Tapada das Necessidades/Quinta Real das Necessidades rehabilitation project for the period 2025-2028 was approved with the Left Bloc (BE) and Greens (PEV) voting against, and with Livre, the Communist Party (PCP), People-Animals-Nature (PAN) and Liberal Initiative (IL) abstaining. Voting in favour were the two deputies from Citizens For Lisbon who were elected on the Socialist Party (PS)/Livre joint ticket, the PS itself, centre-right Social Demoratic Party (PSd) of the mayor, Carlos Moedas, Earth Party (MPT), People's Monarchist Party (PPM), conservative People's Party (CDS-PP), far-right Chega and the non-attached deputy Margarida Penedo (who was elected as a CDS-PP member but who has since left).
The project is to be financed through the Lisbon Tourism Development Fund (FDTL), to the tune of €19,263,200 (plus value-added tax at the current legal rate of 23%), broken down into €3,056,350 this year, €10,004,830 in 2026, €4,559,060 in 2027 and €1,642,960 in 2028, according to the council proposal.
On the subject of financing the project, the municipal deputies unanimously approved an IL recommendation that the municipal assembly be informed of all the execution reports relating to the recovery of Tapada das Necessidades, as well as the measures taken following the audit report by the Court of Auditors on the council's payments to the Lisbon Tourism Association.
Also known as Quinta Real das Necessidades, the Tapada das Necessidades is a historic garden with an area of around 10 hectares, in the parish of Estrela, "with great heritage and cultural importance for the city of Lisbon and for all those who visit the Portuguese capital," in the words of the council proposal, which notes that the space is "quite run-down and in need of extensive restoration."
The assembly also approved the council's proposal for the transfer of the Funicular da Graça from the city's parking company, EMEL, to the municipality itself, for the sum of €7,650,381.58, relating to the investment in its construction and operation.
In this regard, the transfer of the management of the funicular from EMEL to bus and tram operator Carris, both municipal companies, a proposal by the PSD/CDS-PP leadership, and the creation of a model of access to transport facilities "differentiated between frequent users (with a monthly ticket) and occasional users" - a measure suggested by Citizens For Lisbon - were made possible.
Unanimously, the assembly recommended that the council take measures to respond to the petition promoted by the Association of Residents of the Santa Cruz de Benfica Neighbourhood and Contiguous Areas to "change the pedestrian crossings and place speed bumps on Rua das Garridas, Alameda Álvaro Proença, Rua General Morais Sarmento and Rua do Parque" in the parish of Benfica.
To mark the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the municipal assembly approved a recommendation from the IL to urge Lisbon city council to "salute the courage and determination with which the Ukrainian people are resisting the illegitimate invader, the Russian Federation, while defending the values of democracy and freedom in Europe."
The recommendation was passed with the PEV and PCP voting against and the BE, PS, MPT and members Miguel Graça (from Citizens For Lisbon) and Rute Lima (formerly of the PS group) abstaining.
An MPT vote of solidarity with the Ukrainian people was also approved, with PEV and PCP voting against, Miguel Graça and Chega abstaining and all other assembly members voting in favour; a PCP motion "in defence of peace and for a political solution to the conflict in Ukraine" was rejected, with PSD, PAN, IL, MPT, PPM, CDS-PP, Chega and non-attached member Margarida Penedo voting against.
At the meeting, the president of the AML, Rosário Farmhouse (PS), announced that Fernando Braamcamp (PSD) - who had suspended his duties as president of the Areeiro Parish Council "for health reasons" - had been replaced by Pedro Jesus.
SSM/ARO // ARO.
Lusa
