Regional and national environmentalists argue, in a statement, that “the recent decision of the Supreme Administrative Court regarding the proposal to build a mega tourist development in Lagoa dos Salgados does not call into question the creation of a Natural Reserve in that location”.

According to these organisations, the Supreme Administrative Court recognised on September 7 that the declaration of non-compliance (according to which the construction plan does not comply with mandatory environmental safeguards) had been issued by the CCDR (Regional Coordination and Development Commission) of the Algarve.

The court considered that the project obtained a favourable Declaration of Environmental Conformity by "tacit approval", due to the delay in responding to the evaluation request made by the project's promoter, Finalgarve, a company from the Millenium/BCP group, in September 2017.

The ruling of the Supreme Administrative Court “leaves the door open” so that the CCDR-Algarve can “proceed with the revocation or amendment” of this tacitly favourable decision on the Environmental Conformity of the Execution Project (DCAPE), argue the non-governmental groups.

Therefore, these organisations “expect the CCDR-Algarve to begin, without delay, a process of revoking or amending the tacitly favourable DCAPE, based on the public interest of protecting threatened species, which the promoters’ plan effectively did not comply with.”

The organisations also hope that, if the promoters of the tourist project request a license to start the works, the municipality of Silves “will not issue the aforementioned license”.