Planeamento urbano, por Carlos Pinto (humor)

O Grémio* transcreve parte de uma entrevista do edil covilhanense, publicada a 13.03.2008 no portal do Conselho da Europa, para que possa o dilecto leitor pasmar com a contradição entre o que alguém pode dizer e fazer nesta matéria, sublinhando o que destoa. - Com o PDM em véspera de revisão, talvez seja a hora de pôr em prática algumas destas teses sobre as "cartas urbanas", mostrando que sempre é consequente e faz o que diz.
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"Carlos Pinto, Mayor of Covilha (Portugal), presents the advances and the challenges of this "Urban Charter II". The new instrument will lay more emphasis on participation and integration and will also have to be more broadly disseminated than its predecessor. Question: Fifteen years after its adoption, the Urban Charter is to be updated: why had the time come to revise it, and what changes are being made?

Carlos Pinto: Fifteen years is a long time, and the world has changed enormously over this period, as have cities too of course. Globalisation and new developments in trade, European unification and growth in local democracy have radically changed the way cities function. Their political role has been enhanced, but they are sometimes in competition with each other and must increase their attractiveness. Issues such as migration or young people's role and place are no longer raised in the same terms. Citizens also want to participate in civic affairs and are voicing new demands, for instance in the environmental and cultural spheres. The new charter must answer these expectations, while paving the way for the city of tomorrow - well-governed, participatory and integrated in its economic, social and natural environment. (...) We want the urban charter to be of use to city-dwellers themselves, since they are the real urban players. We are aiming for a charter close to people, not a "stratospheric" document. I would also like it to be distributed to all those responsible for urban development, such as architects and town planners. It must also be pointed out that, although the charter concerns cities, it is just as important for rural areas, which have close links with the cities..."