This change, which “allows ERSAR to set tariffs, deserves our repudiation, or rather, our strong opposition, since it clearly violates the autonomy of local government”, argued Luísa Salgueiro (PS).

At the end of a meeting of the ANMP board of directors today in Coimbra, the president of the Matosinhos City Council also highlighted that municipalities should set the tariffs for services provided in their territory.

In her opinion, these tariffs should be set by the municipalities based on the conditions of the territory itself.

“An external entity should not impose the tariffs that apply in our municipalities”, she added.

In statements to the Lusa news agency, Luísa Salgueiro pointed out that the municipalities are against a decision that “comes in defiance of the changes”.

“This was initially possible, then this possibility was revoked and it was attributed to the municipalities. Therefore, now it is a setback and ERSAR is once again the one with this competence that we contest”, she maintained.

The position of principle against the imposition of differentiated tariffs by ERSAR was transmitted by the ANMP to the government on August 20, in an opinion that argues that the tariffs should be adjusted to the economic and social reality of each territory.

“In a public service logic and not in a purely economic-financial logic, under penalty of leading to the increase of tariffs to socially unbearable levels, especially and in particular, in the most economically disadvantaged, most dispersed and least densely populated regions of the country”, reads the ANMP opinion to which Lusa had access.

The document also indicates that “the solution will involve ensuring the economic and financial sustainability of the systems, and this cannot be done solely through tariffs, and it is essential to seriously reflect on the introduction of equalisation mechanisms, based on solidarity between systems”.

The opinion was requested from the ANMP by the Government on August 9, one day after the decree-law that defines the tariffs, tariff income and other amounts to be charged was approved by the Council of Ministers.