In a statement sent to Lusa, Zero claims to have “the greatest reservations regarding the need and opportunity to move forward with this project” for the dam, noting that “it already had the ambition to solve the problems associated with depopulation”.

The public consultation of the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) of the Crato Multi-Purpose Hydraulic Use (AHFM) project, which is promoted by the Intermunicipal Community of Alto Alentejo (CIMAA), ended this Thursday.

The undertaking, which is in the preliminary study phase, will involve a total investment of 171 million euros, of which 120 million are registered in the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).

“Bad decision”

For Zero, “the documents in public consultation show that the project is not only not a solution to promote the region’s economy, but also constitutes (another) example of bad decisions in the use of scarce public funds” that Portugal has for promote development as a member country of the European Union.

In addition, they stress, the project has “the aggravating factor of generating negative environmental and social impacts” and “it is evident a negative contribution to climate change due to increased emissions of greenhouse gases”.

“Effects that, together with the degradation of biodiversity and the increase in the risk of pollution of water bodies, will result in a violation of the principle 'do not significantly harm', a necessary criterion to have access to European funds under the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (MRR)”.