Célia Pessegueiro, president of PS-Madeira, accused the "excessive centralization" of European fund management of creating difficulties and inequalities in the Madeiran territory. According to Pessegueiro, the concentration of decisions in the Regional Government harms municipalities, which face "great injustices in distribution" due to their lower capacity to prepare applications.
During the closing of a debate on municipalities' access to European funds, held in Santa Cruz, the socialist leader argued that local authorities should participate in defining priorities and have advance notice of calls. She also criticized tenders that do not include municipalities as beneficiaries, despite covering areas under their responsibility, and the short deadlines for submitting applications, often launched during holiday periods.
Pessegueiro also pointed to a lack of pluralism in an initiative by the Legislative Assembly of Madeira, contrasting it with an event promoted by a socialist MEP that ensured space for debate. She advocated for local officials to participate in the preparation of the next State Budgets, considering September and October as crucial months for presenting proposals.
