Évora, 8 January – Presidential candidate António José Seguro visited the city of Évora this afternoon, where he was greeted by hundreds of supporters. During the visit, he stressed the importance of Alentejo’s cultural identity, recalled strategic investments made in the region, and addressed the potential impact of future changes to European funding.
In an interview with Alentrium.pt, the candidate spoke about his personal connection to local traditions:
“The Alentejo brings many things together, but I have a special fondness for canto alentejano. It’s sung with soul – every song comes from deep within, and that’s something extraordinary. Even today, I get goosebumps when I hear the Hino dos Menores. It really moves me.”
Asked how he would support the cultural identity of the region if elected, Seguro stated:
“First and foremost, there’s an immediate priority: to engage with, promote and project Évora as European Capital of Culture. That will be one of my first commitments. Within the powers of the President of the Republic, I intend to support the city in asserting itself internationally with the scale and recognition it deserves. Évora is a city with immense cultural heritage, and we must ensure it is properly valued.”
He also referred to his time in government, recalling a major project that shaped the region:
“I served in the governments led by Engineer António Guterres, and one of the decisive moments for the Alentejo was the approval of the Alqueva project. There were many doubts at the time, many sceptics, but the project moved forward with a clear vision. It had a triple purpose: tourism, water supply, and, most importantly, irrigation for agriculture. This enabled private investment, and today the Alentejo is more productive and prosperous.”
At one point in the interview, a journalist from Alentrium.pt asked:
“With the changes to the NUTS classification, the Alentejo could lose up to €700 million in European funds by 2028. How can the region continue to develop with such a loss?”
Seguro replied:
“That process is under negotiation, and naturally, it will be one of my concerns. I believe it is essential for the country to ensure balanced development. If we only invest when EU funds are available, the country is in trouble. We must be able to invest using our own national resources. If some regions need more support due to lower development levels, then they should receive it. But this must not come at the cost of reduced national public investment in other areas.”
When asked about the new organic law for the CCDRs and the indirect elections scheduled for 12 January, the candidate declined to comment:
“I won’t comment on that.”
