In an initial debate organised by SIC TV on Monday evening, with candidates for the position of Mayor of Lisbon city council in the local elections on 12 October, namely Carlos Moedas (PSD/CDS-PP/IL), Alexandra Leitão (PS/Livre/BE/PAN), João Ferreira (CDU-PCP/PEV) and Bruno Mascarenhas (Chega), the accident involving the Glória funicular was a topic of discussion, with arguments exchanged about investment in the municipal public transport company, Carris, which is responsible for public transport funiculars and other lifts in the city.
The Glória funicular in Lisbon, managed by the municipal company Carris, derailed on 3 September in an accident that left 16 people dead and two dozen injured, including Portuguese and foreigners of various nationalities.
“We increased Carris’ budget by 30%,” said Social Democrat Carlos Moedas, with Socialist Alexandra Leitão stating that “it is not true” regarding the cost of maintaining the lifts.
In response, the Social Democrat added that the lift maintenance contract comes from previous Carris management, appointed by the Socialists (PS), worth €900,000, an amount that was increased to €1.2 million, but that “had no bidders” in the public tender.
Bruno Mascarenhas, candidate for the right wing Chega Party, said that problems at Carris had been identified “several months ago” and the issue had prompted a debate in the Municipal Assembly, but “the city council ran away, it didn’t want to be present”, stating that Carlos Moedas “is an expert in this lack of responsibility”.
“There have been countless warnings from Carris workers, which these people here are aware of and have done nothing about,” accused the Chega candidate, criticising the PS and PSD and arguing that throwing money at problems is a tactic that does not work.
The left wing CDU’s lead candidate, João Ferreira, contradicted Carlos Moedas’s idea and stated that the city council did not give Carris all the resources it needed, indicating that the municipal public transport company in the city “works poorly” and “does not fulfil its function”.
Communist João Ferreira also said that the average annual investment in Carris since its municipalisation is €27 million, which “is 1/10 of what the city council has returned in four years by choice of the PSD, but also the PS, and now Chega in the Municipal Assembly”, with the return of income tax to residents, totalling €270 million over this term of office, a measure that mainly benefits the 10% of the population with the highest incomes.
Regarding the accident with the Glória funicular, socialist Alexandra Leitão reiterated that clarification and accountability are needed, “with time and calm, to prevent such a tragedy from happening again”.
As for political responsibility, Social Democrat Carlos Moedas, the current mayor of Lisbon, highlighted the coordination of the immediate response, “which was an accident that was not only Lisbon’s, but national and international,” as well as the decision-making, from the independent external investigation to the suspension of the operation of all lifts. “Resignation would be cowardly,” he stressed.
As for the measures to be taken after the accident, Communist João Ferreira highlighted the PCP’s proposals approved by the council, including the assessment of redundancy systems that reinforce braking and reflection on the options for outsourcing maintenance services.
Bruno Mascarenhas considered that the Glória funicular should be put back into operation, “with technology that guarantees total safety”.
The following are running for Lisbon city council in the local elections on 12 October: Carlos Moedas (PSD/CDS-PP/IL), Alexandra Leitão (PS/Livre/BE/PAN), João Ferreira (CDU-PCP/PEV), Bruno Mascarenhas (Chega), Ossanda Líber (Nova Direita), José Almeida (Volt), Adelaide Ferreira (ADN), Tomaz Ponce Dentinho (PPM/PTP) and Luís Mendes (RIR).
Currently, the municipal executive includes seven elected members from the ‘Novos Tempos’ coalition – PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Aliança, seven elected members from the ‘Mais Lisboa’ coalition – PS/Livre, two from the CDU and one from the BE.
Platform with Lusa
