The government has already received five thousand requests for help from local authorities
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The Ministry of Economy and Territorial Cohesion received this Thursday around five thousand requests for help, mainly from Municipal Councils in the North, following the rural fires of recent weeks.
At the end of a meeting with mayors from the North, but also from the Center, held this Thursday morning in Sernancelhe, Castro Almeida pointed to a number that multiplies by five the thousand requests that had been registered in 2024.
Without wanting to specifically calculate the amount, while land assessments are still being carried out, the minister agreed to the possibility that the losses could exceed 30 million euros, when questioned by the media.
"We expect to receive 5,000 requests for support for small farmers, for those up to 10,000 euros, undocumented support. We'll act quickly, because that's our main mission," he emphasized.
He added that not only is the number of farmers “much higher” than in 2024, but “the volume involved is also much higher.”
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He indicated that, “calmly, I would say three, four, five times more than last year.”
“We’re talking about a few tens of millions of euros,” but it will be “above 30 million for sure.”
Castro Almeida said that, “next week, documents will be available for people to submit their applications” which they submit in their municipalities of residence, which will then forward them to the North Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR).
“CCDR Norte will evaluate and pay in 10 days, or less, at least the first thousand requests that will appear,” he assured.
From what he heard at the meeting, “there are problems with animals and with the subsistence of animals and people” and, therefore, he promised that “this will be dealt with quickly”.
In other cases, such as companies, such as the owner of a workshop in Sarzeda, Sernancelhe, whose losses exceed one million euros and whom the ministers visited, the support lines will be different.
"The State must exist for these things. The State is not rich, but it is supportive. A self-respecting State must be there for these situations, and we must be fair, and that's what we'll seek to do in the legislation we'll approve today," in order to "make situations like that viable."
The extraordinary council of ministers is scheduled for 5:00 pm in Viseu.
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