Councils’ legal action thwarts CTT’s plans to close Algarve post offices

Portugal’s Post Office company, CTT, has been thwarted in its well developed plan to close branches in the western Algarve.

An injunction, to be lodged by the Association of Municipalities Terras do Infante, i.e. Aljezur, Lagos and Vila do Bispo Councils, plus Lagoa have joined forces to halt the closure of post offices in Aljezur, Praia da Luz, Sagres and Carvoeiro.

According to Correio da Manhã on Tuesday, the “judicial measure is being prepared and the process of closing these four stations has already been interrupted by CTT.”
 
A delegation of mayors who went to Lisbon in mid-January, concluded that, “the current process aims to close these outlets or transform them into private concessions, which consequently will lead to the destruction, degradation and death of a Public Service that will penalise locals, small and medium enterprises, tourists and the foreign resident community.
 
The association of municipalities, accused CTT of, “attacking the integrity of the region, particularly in low density areas, which will greatly impair the social and economic development of these localities.”
 
In the opinion of the association and Lagoa Council, there also are several breaches of the CTT held concession contract for the Universal Postal Service.