Lisbon Increases Support for Public Transport
The Câmara Municipal de Lisboa (CML) has affirmed a significant rise in financial backing for Carris, the city's public transport operator. In an official statement released during a period of intense scrutiny for Mayor Carlos Moedas, the municipality highlighted that payments to Carris grew by approximately 29% between 2022 and 2025 compared to the previous period.
Enhanced Funding and European Support
Beyond municipal aid, Carris has actively pursued additional European funding, securing 27.1 million euros in 2024 alone. This represents a more than doubling of EU support from 2022 to 2025 relative to earlier years. The combined efforts have led to a substantial budget increase for Carris, with the 2025 budget up by about 30% since 2021 and nearly doubling since the company's municipalization in 2017.
Investment Growth and Future Projections
This budgetary expansion is accompanied by a notable surge in investment, with 60 million euros forecasted for 2025. The municipality attributes this growth to increased transfers from the city, European funds, state budget allocations, and other revenue sources.
Addressing Controversy Over Budget Adjustments
Amid accusations from opposition parties that 4 million euros were diverted from Carris's budget to fund the Web Summit, the CML clarified that no reduction occurred. Instead, the amount was replaced by European funding from POSEUR, specifically for bus fleet investments, not operational costs. This adjustment was part of a budgetary amendment approved with PS abstention, aimed at compensating for received funds.
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