In the preliminary ruling, announced on Monday, the Court decided in favour of the PALP and, consequently, suspended the “effectiveness of the act of issuing the TUPEM” [a private permit for the use of maritime space].
In addition, the Court called on “the parties concerned not to proceed with any work, whether preparatory to the prospecting or its execution”.
Ana Matias, co-founder of the PALP platform, told newspaper Sul Informação that the movement launched the injunction against the Ministry of the Sea and the ENI / GALP consortium, to block the TUPEM, which would allow holes to be drilled from September, off Aljezur.
“With this action, filed last year, we asked that all work be suspended until the sentence was read (…). Fortunately, the judge ruled that the TUPEM was wrongly assigned”.
According to Ana Matias, the judge’s decision means “we are certain that, for as long as there is no decision otherwise, the ENI / Galp consortium cannot drill the hole. This was our main objective in the fight. Now we have to wait for the next developments. It is likely that the companies will appeal, but for now we have won this process and it is stopped”.
Despite the action, filed by PALP in 2017, having a suspensory effect, a decision from the Ministries of the Sea and Economy, invoking public interest, meant that “for some time, permission for drilling” to go ahead had been conceded, Ana Matias explains.
However, on 3 July 2018, after the Ministries’ decision was contested by PALP, “the judge ruled that there was no public interest, only matters of a contractual nature and the suspensory effect was again in force.”
On Saturday evening, the President of the Republic held an audience in Almancil with the PALP and MALP movements, who put forward their arguments against the exploitation of hydrocarbons in the Algarve.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said he will reflect on what was said at that meeting.
Meanwhile, the PALP platform has issued a formal statement in which it said Monday’s ruling was “a memorable day for the Algarve, for the anti-oil movements and for the Country and for all those who have engaged in this cause”.
It reiterated the court’s ruling means the “effectiveness of the issuing of a TUPEM is suspended”, and the ENI / Galp consortium is “advised not to proceed with any work, whether preparatory to the prospecting or the execution of the contract (....)”.
The movement said the decision “is not the end of the fight, but it’s a major battle won”.
Drilling was due to commence next month.