Élvio Sousa used his Facebook page to state what he considers to be the “obstacles that the Funchal City Council has created to prevent two of the LIDL proposals.”
In this regard, Élvio Sousa recalls that Pedro Calado, Mayor of Funchal, led two projects of the aforementioned supermarket chain, namely the building located in Largo Severiano Ferraz and the one located in Rua Dr. Pita.
As “evidence” he shared two excerpts from the process requested by the party to the Administrative and Fiscal Court of Funchal.
“The evidence is in the attached document that we obtained in court. This is the truth that Calado tries to hide from the Madeirans,” it reads.
In this way, the party considers that the situation shows “how Pedro Calado has unequivocally blocked the supermarket chain, adding that the tactics were reminiscent of “other obstacles that the PSD created in the past for the company.”
“The proof is in the request of the lawyer hired by the chamber, ALVES TEIXEIRA, who recently signed two contracts worth more than 240 thousand euros,” he says.
In this sense, Élvio Sousa asks: “Was it necessary to pay 240 thousand euros to a single law firm to prevent citizens from knowing the truth about the blockades to the installation of LIDL in Funchal?” Considering that the amount “is a lot of money to cover up the truth.”
In addition, he stresses that “Calado’s discomfort is so great because, despite the ‘friendly’ press, he cannot hide that he refused to hand over the licensing documents that would explain the reasons for the rejection of the LIDL projects, as well as surreptitiously sought to pass on the information that the licensing documents are ‘trade secrets’ of the company, having himself been involved the LIDL chain.”
And he raises a question again: “Will it be me or does Calado’s family have members representing Intermaché? Now there is a connection to what was missing in the plot, because it remains to be seen here who is defending the public interest of thousands of Madeirans and who is at the service of one or two families?”
That said, Élvio Sousa challenges Calado to explain “why he refused two LIDL licensing projects, out of four under consideration in the Funchal City Council”.
Pedro Calado, the Mayor of Funchal, made it known, that he will take Élvio Sousa, leader of the JPP, to court.
The mayor justifies such action, following the statements made by Élvio Sousa this morning, because he considers that “it has already exceeded all limits of what is tolerable.”
In this regard, it refers to “insinuations and offences to my family and its good name.”
“In addition, to being completely false, they reveal a mind that is permanently looking for monsters under the bed.”
“I do not have, nor do any of my family members, have direct or indirect links or interests in any supermarket chain. And I am so sure of what I am saying, that I will take Mr. Élvio Sousa to court, to prove and answer for the infamy of his insinuations.”
“Regarding the LIDL processes, the population knows very well the reasons why the Funchal City Council asked the German chain to reformulate the project for Severiano Ferraz Square. And it wasn’t JPP who found out. It was we, Funchal City Hall, who always said it, from the first moment. It will now be up to the investor to decide when and how to do it,” revealed Pedro Calado.
“One thing is for sure. LIDL does not want third parties, namely JPP, to know about its commercial position and, as such, they have already asked the Administrative Court of Funchal not to force CMF to hand over the documents of the process. For our part, we will respect any decision, because, as popular wisdom says: those who do not owe, fear nothing,” he concluded.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
