The PS parliamentary group criticized the exclusion of the Algarve from the six major strategic business areas that the Government intends to create in the country to attract foreign investment. In the question directed to the Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Castro Almeida, the socialist deputies questioned the criteria used for choosing the locations and demanded clarification on the technical, territorial, environmental, logistical and infrastructural requirements that the territories will have to meet.
The six areas were announced by the minister in July, with two planned in the North, two in the Centre, one in the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon and one in the interior of the Alentejo. Castro Almeida justified the measure citing the existence of multinational companies interested in investing in Portugal, but that choose other countries due to the lack of adequately infrastructured land. Global Parks, a company under AICEP, will be the promoter of the areas, with the CCDRs defining the locations and the Government financing the works.
Vítor Neto, president of NERA – Business Association of the Algarve Region, also expressed surprise at the exclusion, considering that the economic weight of the region in the national economy should be taken into account. However, the Algarve deputy Cristóvão Norte guaranteed that the process is not yet closed, stating that the minister presented the six areas "merely as an indication" and that the process would be "open", with the Executive working "somewhat throughout the country".
Cristóvão Norte defended that the Algarve needs to diversify its economic base beyond tourism, identifying sectors such as the blue economy, agriculture, forestry and new technologies. The parliamentarian considered it fundamental that the region develops its own strategy for a potential business area based on transformative industry, capable of creating a new development pole. The president of CCDR Algarve, José Apolinário, preferred not to comment on the subject, limiting himself to stating that the organization is monitoring the issue closely.
