The Mayor of Vila Nova de Famalicão argued this morning that although today we have
‘a pluralist and consolidated democracy’, the 25th of April
‘will never be complete’.
At the solemn session of the Municipal Assembly to mark the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, Mário Passos called for respect for others, tolerance for difference, a sense of community, civic responsibility and the right to freedom as ‘daily struggles that begin with each one of us’, while also warning of the dangers of spreading lies and populism.
In his speech this morning, and in front of a packed Municipal Assembly, the mayor of Famalicense recalled the democratic journey of the last 50 years, which has been able to ‘give more freedom, more development, better living conditions and more social justice’ to the Portuguese, praising the ‘decisive’ contribution of Local Government ‘in building a community that respects, but also actively promotes fundamental rights’, be they civil, political or social.
The mayor of Famalicense also expressed his ‘pride’ in the work carried out by the municipal executive over the last two and a half years, with more than 80% of the electoral programme already implemented.
‘We are developing a diverse set of initiatives aimed at strengthening social cohesion and promoting equal opportunities for all Famalicenses. We have been working in a structured way in all areas and we endeavour to ensure that every citizen has the necessary conditions to be happy in Vila Nova de Famalicão,’ he added, pointing to the work carried out in the areas of Housing, Environment, Health, Education, Sports, Culture, Urban Planning, among others.
All this, he recalled, without jeopardising Famalicão's future. ‘This is how we fulfil April, with respect for the commitments made to the citizens, with the greatest responsibility in the management of public affairs, with the ambition to give everyone a better quality of life, without compromising future generations,’ he said.
Famalicão is celebrating the 50th anniversary of 25 April this year with a rich and diverse cultural programme that began last November and will continue until 2024.
The municipal programme is being developed by the municipality, through an Honours and Scientific Committee made up of ‘a group of multi-party individuals who were living witnesses of the April Revolution and the process of democratic consolidation’, whom Mário Passos took the opportunity to thank for their ‘dedication to the cause of freedom and democracy’.
After the representatives of the various political forces had been heard, the session ended with the words of the acting President of the Municipal Assembly, Luís Ângelo Oliveira, who recalled that 25 April should be a commitment made between elected representatives and voters and that the country still has a lot of work to do to fulfil April.