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A “bad news at Christmas time”, whose consequences will be “catastrophic” for the local economy, is how the opposition of the Chamber of Matosinhos reacts to the announcement made this Monday morning by Galp, which signals the definitive closure of the operations of Petrogal refinery, in Leça da Palmeira, Matosinhos.
António Parada, from the independent movement “António Parada, ¡Sí!”, Claims to have begun to raise questions about the future of Petrogal since the deactivation of the monobuoy off Matosinhos, which allowed the unloading of large oil tankers to supply the refinery during all year round, even in adverse sea conditions. The company ensured that the suspension was temporary.
“We did not think it was normal to deactivate the monobuoy [que aconteceu na semana passada] and we asked the Chamber for clarification, which was going to meet with the management of the company this week “, reveals the Councilor for Opposition, highlighting the” extreme concern “about the situation of the more than 1,000 workers affected and also about” the serious problems this can bring to the county. “
“It is a very serious factor for cafes and restaurants, among other services and businesses that served that structure,” observes António Parada.
The independent Narciso Miranda also considers the news “disturbing”, which will have “catastrophic” consequences in the direct and indirect employment generated by Petrogal. “Matosinhos cannot advance to become a logistics center,” he says, highlighting the “loss of instruments in terms of wealth production” in the municipality.
From the CDU, José Pedro Rodrigues highlights the “concern” that the party has shown in recent months, along with the announcement of the restructuring of the company and the “slowdown in production.” “This decision, deeply negative for Matosinhos, confirmed the worst expectations. It is an important axis in the economic affirmation of this country”, considers the councilor for Civil Protection, Transport and Mobility.
An extraordinary meeting of the Executive is scheduled for tomorrow, where the CDU “will propose that, at the next meeting, Galp’s management also be present to clarify its decision.” The councilor criticizes that “the industrial development of the country is leaning more and more towards the south” and considers that “the impacts of this loss must be discussed face to face.”
Stop speculation
Regarding the destination of the land in question, with an area of about 290 hectares, Narciso Miranda raises some concerns and considers it necessary “to define strict rules to stop any speculative process.” The decision, which involves an area facing the sea, and “very desirable”, agrees António Parada, “it is necessary to understand what leads Galp to take this measure.”
“Is it decarbonization? Or the potential of that land?” Asks the independent.
José Pedro Rodrigues also guarantees that the CDU “knows well the real estate appetites that for decades yearned for the end of the Leça refinery.” For this reason, the councilor guarantees that he will never support “any change in land use that allows other activities other than economic ones.”
This morning, the mayor of Matosinhos, Luísa Salgueiro, said she does not know what the plan drawn up by Galp is but that, according to the Municipal Master Plan (PDM), these lands are classified for industrial use.
Along with the location of the land, António Parada also raises the question of the supply of the Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, in Maia. Currently, Petrogal can directly supply the planes that stop at “Sá Carneiro” through an “oil pipeline”. With the closure of the refining operations, António Parada fears that the process will have to be carried out with tank trucks, fearing that this solution “is even more polluting” than the current activity of the refinery.
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