“It is important to have knowledge of the final wording of what was effectively decided in the Assembly of the Republic”, in relation to the automatic exemption from the IMI tax for national monuments owned by the State, autonomous regions and local authorities and the fixing of the tax rate by the municipalities for the remaining properties and classified historic areas, as defended by the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities (ANMP) and the Government.

This claim was, however, defeated by the Assembly of the Republic, within the scope of the vote on the State Budget for 2020 (OE2020), but the president of ANMP, Manuel Machado, does not comment on the matter until he knows the final version.

The Jornal de Negócios reports on 11 February that “a negative coalition failed the measure” of OE2020, “proposed by the Government, to end this automatic exemption” in national monuments owned by the State, autonomous regions and autarchies.

The measure "came to be approved, but the PSD's vote against, in a negative coalition, dictated the lead," the newspaper also writes.

"Taxation issues have very specific and technical aspects that advise us to wait to [read] only the final version, so that there is no misunderstanding", stressed Manuel Machado to the Lusa agency, in Coimbra, after having participated in an ANMP board meeting.

"We understand that the law should always provide for its fixation and municipal availability, that is, for municipal bodies to decide whether the exemption is x, y or z", added the Mayor of Coimbra.

"Whenever there are automatic tax exemptions like IMI and others, the general principle is that the sovereignty body that decided on it must reimburse the respective municipality for the corresponding allocation", recalled Manuel Machado.

"Given that there was a very diverse set of proposals, decisions, withdrawal of proposals, etc., it is premature to issue a final judgment on what was effectively decided in the Assembly of the Republic", stressed the president of ANMP.

The Association's initial proposal “remains and is in the sense that [the IMI rate] be fixed according to the strategies of each municipality in the areas or classified goods or others to be exempted”, he concluded.