Movement requests departure from the mayor of Albufeira da Águas do Algarve

O Movement Albufeira Sem Medo today asked for the removal of the mayor of Albufeira from the administration of Águas do Algarve, claiming a conflict of interest for ordering the embargo of desalination while integrating the company.

In a statement, the movement announced to have filed a formal complaint against Rui Cristina (Enough), who is also non-executive vowel of the Algarve Water Management Board, company responsible for the desalination project.

The mayor was appointed to that office on October 1, and announced, on October 30, the embargo on the work of the desalinizer, as mayor of Albufeira, in the district of Faro.

The Albufeira Sem Medo Movement considers that the simultaneous exercise of the two functions “emphasizes issues of incompatibility”, claiming that no impediment or conflict of interest between positions has been declared.

In the complaint, the movement points to a possible violation of provisions of the Code of Administrative Procedure, the Statute of Local Elections, the Statute of the Public Manager and the ethical regulations of the Águas de Portugal Group.

Among the requests submitted is “the opening of a process to investigate the facts, the immediate removal of Rui Cristina from all matters related to desalination and her resignation” from the position of administrator of Águas do Algarve.

“No one can be on both sides of the table”, defends the movement, which stresses that the challenge is not related to the position in favor or against the construction of the desalinizer, but to the alleged “incompatibility between the functions performed by the mayor”.

The statement also recalls that Rui Cristina was accused by the Public Prosecutor in August 2026 of alleged crimes of discrimination and incitement to hatred, following statements about the Roma community.

The mayor is also the subject of an action of loss of mandate related to the appointment of the sister to municipal functions, adds the movement.

The Albufeira Without Fear Movement argues that the facts must be ascertained by the competent authorities, noting “the principle of the presumption of innocence of Rui Cristina”.