Juntos Somos Coimbra wants to move forward with the Palace of Justice

The candidate for the Juntos Somos Coimbra coalition said this Wednesday that he intends to move forward with projects for the new Palace of Justice and the School of Arts, believing that construction on both buildings could begin during the next term.

The current Mayor, José Manuel Silva, stated that he intends to move forward with the architectural design of the new Palace of Justice, based on an inter-administrative contract already signed with the government, and leave the process ready so that it can then be put out to tender for its construction.

"We will have to work with the Government. It's a necessity. The Palace of Justice pays for itself ," said the candidate from the Juntos Somos Coimbra coalition (PSD/IL/CDS-PP/Nós, Cidadãos!/PPM/MPT/Volt), referring to the rented facilities that the Ministry of Justice already pays for annually.

Speaking to Lusa news agency at the end of the presentation of the electoral program, which has a total of 204 measures, José Manuel Silva reaffirmed his commitment to fighting for the new Palace of Justice to become a reality, believing that this project would also bring "new life to Rua da Sofia."

Regarding the School of Arts (similar to the Soares dos Reis and António Arroio schools), the mayor also establishes the development of this project in his program, considering that its construction in the former military maintenance area would be " the first step towards developing the future Contemporary Art Center of Coimbra , with dignity and not just three small floors [in the current building]." The project, he recalled, also includes a "future projection" of the tower of the former Monastery of Santa Cruz, which no longer exists on the site.

José Manuel Silva hopes that construction on both projects can begin during the next term, stressing that, if he wins, he will "work towards that," while acknowledging that there are some "vicissitudes" that are beyond the control of a municipal executive.

The presented electoral program also points to the creation of the Souselas Industrial Zone and a work of “re-entrepreneurialization and reindustrialization” of the municipality and a commitment to the revitalization of the historic center based on the plan already presented in this term.

" We see several candidates with good, general intentions, but they don't say how they're going to put them into practice . We all have good, general intentions," the candidate criticized.

The highlighted measures include the completion and expansion of the metrobus, the reformulation of the urban transport network (a study of which is underway) and improving the enjoyment of the banks of the Mondego River.

Other measures include increasing funding for culture, increasing formal and informal sports facilities, conducting a feasibility study for a multipurpose pavilion next to the future intermodal station, and increasing the supply of public and affordable housing.

In addition to José Manuel Silva, the candidates for the October 12 elections are former minister Ana Abrunhosa, for Avançar Coimbra (PS/Livre/PAN); councilor Francisco Queirós, for CDU; former deputy José Manuel Pureza, for the Left Bloc; Maria Lencastre Portugal, for Chega; Sancho Antunes, for ADN; and Tiago Martins, for the New Right.

The current executive is made up of six members of the Juntos Somos Coimbra coalition, four from the PS and one from the CDU.

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