The calamity situation that covers 60 municipalities affected by Depression Kristin and that ended this Sunday, February 1st, at midnight, has been extended to February 8th, the Prime Minister announced this afternoon at the end of the extraordinary Council of Ministers. The Government responded to the requests of the mayors of the districts of Leiria, Coimbra and Santarém, the most affected by the storm’s passage through Portugal, which reached its peak last Wednesday, January 28th.
The Government also approved a set of measures and support for populations and companies in the affected regions, totaling 2.5 billion euros, according to the Prime Minister.
Starting tomorrow, a mission structure for areas affected by the Kristin depression, led by Paulo Fernandes, former mayor of Fundão.
Tomorrow too, said Luís Montenegro, there will be a meeting with the Construction Industry Association, in Leiria, to organize urgent interventions on coverings and roofs. Many people have had damaged roofs and are unable to purchase tiles.
Support lines for the population and companies
Luís Montenegro also announced a support line for the “reconstruction of own and permanent housing” up to ten thousand euros in cases where there is no insurance coverageand without the need to present documentation. Situations on agricultural and forestry farms are also covered. The Prime Minister said this support will be available this week.
As for who has insurance, Montenegro said that the Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion met with the main insurers guaranteeing “that there are conditions so that 80% of the inspections or expert reports necessary for insurance to be activated will take place within the next 15 days”.
“Only the most complex situations may have a longer period, and in many situations, photographic evidence will be sufficient for people to immediately carry out small repairs”, he highlighted.
For families in need or loss of income, there will be financial support from Social Security that can amount to up to 537 euros individually or 1075 euros per household.
Financial support will also be available for private social solidarity institutions (IPSS) so that they can provide social support to those affected.
The Council of Ministers also approved the implementation of a regime of exemption from Social Security contributions for companies hit by the storm for six months, and a simplified regime of lay-off over the next three months.
There will be a 90-day moratorium on loans to companies and credit for purchasing permanent housing. “Payments on these loans will therefore be suspended for the next 90 days”with the possibility of the moratorium extending to 12 months, said Montenegro.
In fiscal matters, the Prime Minister announced, the deadline for taxpayers’ and accountants’ tax obligations due between January 28th and March 31st will be extended to April.
To help companies and associations get back on their feet, a credit line for treasury needs with an amount of 500 million euros, and a credit line of one billion euros for the recovery of companies “in the part that does not have insurance coverage”.
“Our estimate is that the treasury credit line is already available within a week and the line of credit for business recovery may be available within approximately three weeks”assured the prime minister.
Of the total amount of 2.5 billion euros mobilized for populations and companies in the most affected areas, 400 million euros will be transferred from the State Budget to Portuguese Infrastructure for urgent interventions to restore railway and road infrastructure.
The Regional Coordination and Development Commissions (CCDR) will receive 200 million euros that will reach local authorities for the urgent recovery of public equipment and infrastructure, starting with schools which are not in a position to function fully. 20 million euros will also be transferred to the more urgent recovery of cultural heritage.
The Prime Minister also guaranteed that no investment being made under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) will remain unmade. “We are in contact with the European Commission to find the best model” to guarantee this, he revealed. “We will not stop executing the projects nor will we stop having access to the financing that is available to us.”
Possible evacuation of riverside areas
Given the worsening weather conditions forecast for the coming days, Luís Montenegro appealed to the population to respect the warnings. “In this regard, I would like to make an appeal here to all those in the most exposed and affected areas to continue to respect the instructions of the competent authorities, in particular Civil Protection, It is expected that with the levels of precipitation that we can anticipate, some flood situations will arise, we know that the soils are saturated and we know that there are several affected infrastructures that will make the situation difficult.”
The Prime Minister said that “some riverside areas will face more serious situations that may even require evacuation.”
Asked about criticism of the Government’s late reaction to the devastating effects of the Kristin depression in the center of the country, Luís Montenegro said that “everything that was possible was done to prevent and put all forces in readiness in a timely manner to face an adversity whose evolution was not anticipated by anyone. From the point of view of what was possible to do, it was done”. But he added that There is “no question of deepening this reflection in the future”.
The Prime Minister says that “all capacity” is being mobilized in the public, social and private sectors so that “everything is reestablished as soon as possible”, and that they are on the ground “around 34 thousand operational from our elements of the Security and Civil Protection forces and services to the Armed Forces, to elements of various State departments, infrastructure, social services to the invaluable support of employees of our local authorities”.
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