Portugal's National Association of Parishes (Anafre) is demanding answers over emergency funds for storm Kristin damage that have yet to reach local parishes, warning that communities must not be held hostage by municipal bureaucracies to access the money.
Speaking at Anafre's general council meeting held July 10–11 in Guimarães, association president Francisco Branco de Brito said the relief funds earmarked for parishes have still not arrived. While the total cost remains undetermined, estimates point to substantial sums. In Meirinhas, a parish in Pombal, the local mayor reported €300,000 in assessed damage against an annual budget of barely €10,000, illustrating the financial gap facing small communities.
The Guimarães meeting also focused on proposals to revise the Local Finance Law, which Anafre intends to present to a government working group.