Month: October 2020

The Prime Minister said today that the country’s return to a state of emergency is not on the table, stressing that this is a constitutional competence of the President of the Republic and that the previous confinement had “immense costs “.

This position was conveyed by António Costa in an interview with TVI, held at the Prime Minister’s official residence in São Bento, which lasted about an hour, after being questioned about a possible return of Portugal to a situation of emergency in the face of steady increase in the number of covid-19 cases in recent weeks.

“It is not a scenario that is currently on the table,” replied the executive’s leader, after being asked if he had already discussed this matter with the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

At this point, António Costa stressed that the scenario adopted by the Government was to raise the state of alert to the level of calamity.

“Right now, this is the right level, but it all depends on a number of factors. It is true that we are going to have a greater number of new cases per day than in the worst phase of the pandemic last April. But, fortunately, now, with much less hospitalized than there was at the time and, above all, with much less hospitalized in intensive care, which is largely due to the fact that there was a significant change in the age group affected “, defended the Prime Minister.

António Costa also advocated that, currently, the National Health Service (SNS) “is better prepared than it was at the beginning of this crisis” pandemic.

“We have an occupancy rate for intensive care beds for covid-19 of 66%. Fortunately, we are far from the situation of having the NHS under pressure,” he said.

Asked about the possibility of the Government adopting a curfew measure at night, as is already the case in several European countries, the leader of the executive replied that he cannot exclude any measure.

“But I must say that the cost of these measures is immense”, especially in the social and economic spheres, he declared, before mentioning that the confinement of last spring generated almost one hundred thousand unemployed in the country.

 

21 measures for families, pensioners, workers, companies and even animals

From taxes to health, from social support to incentives for recovery: find out what changes in a Budget made to counter the economic and social effects of the covid-19 pandemic.

The budget proposal is due to be delivered to parliament today by the Government, and will then be voted on generally on 28 October, with the final global vote on the document scheduled for 26 November.

Families

1. Free day care for all children of families in the 1st and 2nd income brackets of the family contribution;
2. EUR 69 million to invest in the expansion and requalification of social facilities in the public network and the social sector , covering social responses in the areas of child support, the elderly and people with disabilities;
3. Reduction of withholding income tax , which, according to the Government, guarantees an additional liquidity of 200 million euros for families;
4. Lower VAT on electricity for consumption of up to 100 kWh (or 150 kWh, in the case of large families), allowing savings of 150 million euros with sustainable consumption;
5. End of payment of user fees for complementary diagnostic and therapeutic tests prescribed in the context of primary health care;
6. IRS deduction of VAT paid in gym expenses.

 

Pensioners

1. Increase of ten euros for pensioners receiving up to 1.5 IAS (658 euros), as of August 2021, and an extraordinary increase of ten euros (or six, if pensions have been updated between 2011 and 2015).

 

Workers

1. Increase in the national minimum wage in line with the average increase in recent years (maintaining the target of 750 euros in 2023);
2. Extraordinary support for workers’ income , having as a reference value the poverty line (501 euros), for those who lost their jobs or had a significant drop in their activity;
3. Increase of the minimum amount of unemployment benefit to an amount above the poverty line, definitively, for workers who received at least the minimum wage;
4. Supplement for workers with social unemployment benefit , corresponding to the amount of the difference for the new extraordinary support;
5. General moratorium, for 24 months, on the expiration of collective labour agreements , covering around 400 collective agreements and close to three million workers;
6. Extraordinary risk allowance for health professionals who are at the forefront of the response to covid-19, in the amount of 20% of the base salary (up to a maximum of 219 euros);
7. Supplement for unhealthy and painful conditions for workers in public functions in the sectors of urban hygiene and sanitation.

 

Companies

1. Ban on dismissals by large companies that make profits in 2020, under penalty of losing access to tax incentives and publicly guaranteed credit lines;
2. Maintenance of all tax rates, with no update on indirect taxes;
3. Elimination of the aggravation of autonomous taxation for micro, small and medium-sized companies that usually had no losses and started to have them due to the pandemic;
4. Creation of the IVAucher program to stimulate consumption in the catering, accommodation and culture sectors by returning the VAT paid in those sectors;
5. Maintenance of the Extraordinary Tax Credit for Investment measure in the first half of 2021, allowing companies to deduct from the IRC collection the amount corresponding to 20% of their investment expenses up to the limit of five million euros.

 

Animals

1. Creation of the figure of the pet provider;
2. Transfer of more than five million euros to the local administration to support the kennels.

The governments of Portugal and Spain today reached an agreement, in Guarda, on a common border development strategy for the coming years, which was the center of the 31st Portuguese-Spanish Summit.

The Common Strategy for Transboundary Development (ECDT) was the highlight of the Iberian meeting and is presented as a set of measures and investments to “make life easier for people living on the border”, as pointed out by the Portuguese Prime Minister, António Costa.

Alongside the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, the Portuguese chief executive highlighted some of the benefits foreseen for the inhabitants of the border, such as the status of cross-border workers, the health card that allows treatment on both sides of the border or cooperation between public services, as in the case of the 112 network, which will respond in the emergency to those who are better able to do so.

The Recovery and Resilience Plan of each country should incorporate the priorities of this strategy which will also seek funding in Brussels, with the Portuguese Prime Minister underlining that, this time, the two countries will not be separated to negotiate with Brussels, but in set.

The Strategy covers 1,551 Portuguese parishes, an area corresponding to 62% of the Portuguese territory and benefits more than one million and six hundred thousand Portuguese.

On the Spanish side, it includes 1,231 municipalities and 3.3 million inhabitants of the municipalities in the border provinces of Badajoz, Cáceres, Huelva, Ourense, Pontevedra, Salamanca and Zamora, corresponding to 17% of the surface of Spain.

In total, in Portugal and Spain, this Strategy will directly serve more than five million people, along one of Europe’s largest borders.

The objective of ECDT is, according to the Minister for Territorial Cohesion, Ana Abrunhosa, to “put the interior of the country at the center of the Iberian market, to create a new economic centrality and reduce the abandonment of these territories”.

The purpose is to improve services to the population, creating conditions for the development of innovative common projects, which value the resources of the border territories and make them more attractive for living, working and investing.

Completing the network of road connections between the two countries is one of the purposes of the joint strategy, which contemplates the construction of the IP2 connection between Bragança and Puebla de Sanabria, Moraleja-Monfortinho-Castelo Branco, joining the EX-A1 ​​with the A23 through IC-31, Vilar Formoso-Fuentes de Oñoro, connection from A25 to A62 (Castilla motorway), the highway between Zamora and A4 / E82, in Quintanilha (Bragança), and the connection from IC5 Miranda do Douro to Zamora by Sayago .

The construction of the new bridge between Sanlucar del Guadiana and Alcoutim and the international bridge over the River Sever between Cedillo and Nisa are also planned.

Rail transport is also contemplated with the modernization of the Beira Alta line from Fuentes de Oñoro / Salamanca, the Elvas-Badajoz Logistics platform, the Covilhã / Guarda section, the Viana do Castelo / Valença section, and the connection of the Portuguese-Spanish Atlantic axis , which includes Lisbon, Porto, Vigo, Santiago de Compostela and A Coruña.

The two governments also propose to speed up the construction of the Lisbon-Sines-Poceirão-Évora-Badajoz-Cáceres-Madrid high-performance line.

Among the measures envisaged is also the creation of the figure of the cross-border worker to facilitate the movement of these citizens without constraints such as those observed when the borders were imposed at the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic.

The two countries also want greater coordination in basic services, such as Health, Education, Social Services and Civil Protection, to enhance the sharing of new or existing services, in order to better serve the citizens of both countries.

ECDT provides, for example, the 112 cross-border, which will allow the user access to the nearest emergency services, be they Portuguese or Spanish.

The strategy also aims to attract “new companies and investments to these territories, through innovative joint projects between the two countries”, in terms of agro-industry, agroforestry and renewable energies.

Domestic violence arrests have decreased 32% since the pandemic began

Arrests for the crime of domestic violence have decreased by about 32% since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic compared to the same period in 2019, the Public Security Police revealed on 7^th October

In the webinar “The covid-19 pandemic and internal security”, the head of the PSP’s policing and public order division, Pedro Grilo, said that between March 18 and October 1, there was “an effective decrease” of complaints for domestic violence, as well as a 32% decrease in arrests for this type of crime.

According to data provided by the PSP, 290 people were detained between March 18 (when the state of emergency began due to covid-19) and October 1, while during the same period last year, 422 arrests were made by this security force.

The same official also said that in the state of emergency, which ended on May 2, there was an increase in crimes of computer fraud and communications and bank fraud, as well as the crime of driving without legal authorization. Pedro Grilo justified the crime of driving without legal authorization with “the exponential increase” of road enforcement actions carried out by the PSP.

In turn, in the period between May 3 and October 1, there was “a marked decrease in general and violent and serious crime”, despite the increase in police proactivity and arrests, underlined the head of the policing and order division of the PSP.

Pedro Grilo also stressed that, in the different contexts of the epidemic, namely in the state of emergency and situations of calamity and contingency, “there were no significant security incidents or resistance to police actions, even in habitually more sensitive territories”.

 

Major Police operation in Porto

Recently a PSP mega-operation surrounded the Pasteleira neighbourhood in Porto and arrested 15 people linked to the drug trade.

The target of the operation was an organized group with several cells, which was very active in the spread of drugs in that area. Large quantities of weapons and drugs were seized.

The Criminal Investigation Division of the PSP of Porto have been investigating this group for several months and enforced 12 home search warrants in what is considered one of the most problematic neighbourhoods in the city of Porto.

“This operation took place without incident, despite the fact that more than 48 agents from the Investigation Division and also agents from the Special Police Unit were involved,” explained João Soeima, commissioner of the PSP and responsible for this mega-operation, adding that the objective is to combat drug trafficking and that “the detainees were mainly involved in the direct sale of drugs in this neighbourhood”.

Of the 15 detainees, at least four are women, who will be presented at court for their first hearing and will await sentencing.

There have been frequent operations of this kind in the problem neighbourhoods, in the city of Porto, specifically known for the activity of drug trafficking

In the case of this neighbourhood of Pasteleira, this is the third major operation carried out by the police in just four months. The previous ones took place in June and July this year.

Braga PSP agents save the life of two elderly people from fire

Two PSP agents from Braga, one from Amares and the other from Vieira do Minho, received public praise after saving the lives of two elderly people, in an apartment near Braga Parque, reported a source from Radio Alto Ave

According to the same source, the heroic act was performed on a Saturday 3^rd Oct when the two policemen arrived first on the scene before the Firefighters of Braga arrived, saved the lives of two elderly people. They went up to the apartment and removed the elderly from the house.

PSP seizes 9,422 euros and hundreds of doses of drugs in Braga

The operation to combat drug trafficking today carried out in the neighbourhood of Enguardas, in Braga, resulted in a total of 10 detainees and the seizure of drugs, money and weapons, the PSP revealed.

In a statement, the PSP confirmed that the detainees comprised five men and five women, aged between 17 and 67, and that enough heroin has been seized for about 240 individual doses, as well as 71.28 grams of liamba, in addition to contraband material used in the cutting and packaging of the narcotic.

“Resulting from the operation, the PSP Command in Braga believes it has dealt a serious blow to drug trafficking in the city of Braga originating in that area, as well as contributing to increasing the feeling of security in the same and adjacent areas, which have been the target for illegal activities and a constant concern and work on the part of this police”, highlights PSP Braga.

A total of 9,422 euros, two prohibited weapons and 60 euros in counterfeit notes were also seized.

The operation included the execution of 14 house searches and seven arrest warrants.

In this police action, the entire criminal investigation structure of the Braga Command and the rapid intervention teams was engaged.

The operation involved the collaboration of the Special Police Unit, through the Cinotécnico Operational Group, and elements of the PSP’s criminal investigation structure of the Vila Real, Viana do Castelo and Aveiro commands.

The detainees will be taken to court, for first judicial interrogation and application of the respective enforcement measures.

Safe Schools – Prevention and Enforcement

More than 180 people were detained in more than 1,000 police operations carried out between 14 and 20 September in the context of the operation “Safe School – Beginning of the Academic Year 2020/2021”, the PSP announced on 9^th October.

In a statement, PSP states that 3,468 police officers participated in the initiative, which took place in mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Regions, which carried out 1,070 operations, resulting in 186 arrests.

The operation “Safe School – aims to promote the intensification of visibility and inspection through policing actions, as well as awareness raising actions at school establishments.

The operation also aims to prevent criminal and administrative offenses through the inspection of traffic and road safety in the vicinity of schools, the inspection of commercial establishments, restaurants and drinks, among other spaces, frequented by minors and the verification of compliance with the legal rules in force within the scope of prevention and combating the covid-19 pandemic.

PSP highlights that of the operations, 386 had a reinforced police presence, 415 for road inspections, 163 for inspection of commercial establishments and 114 in other operations / inspections.

In addition to the arrests, 102 vehicles and 33 weapons were seized during the operations.

In the note, the PSP indicates that 3,874 notices of infraction for road infractions and 11 notices of infraction for infractions in commercial establishments were collected.

364 group awareness-raising actions were also carried out in 270 schools, attended by 11,989 students and 1,354 teachers and operational assistants, and 1,552 individual criminal prevention contacts were made in schools

 

Covid-19: PSP offers Webinar “Pandemic and Security”

The Public Security Police (PSP), through the Investigation Centre (ICPOL) of the Higher Institute of Police Sciences and Internal Security (ISCPSI) and the Operations Department of the National Directorate, has made available to the public as of the, 07 October a webinar dedicated to the topic: “The Pandemic of COVID 19 and Homeland Security”.

According to information that the Diário Digital Castelo Branco had access to, in this online event (webinar), the PSP has the participation of representatives of the Directorate-General for Health, Foreigners and Borders Service, Republican National Guard, National Emergency and Protection Authority Civil and the National Institute of Medical Emergency, of who will all share their experiences, strategies and interventions in integrated mitigation of the pandemic outbreak.

With this initiative, the PSP intends to contribute to deepen the scientific and operational reflection on the impact – current and on a wide spectrum – of the pandemic in our society and, in particular, in the broad framework of public security and order, in civil protection and security health, as well as in the daily work of the Security and Protection and Relief Forces and Services.

As this is an event open to the whole society, we invite all people to participate in this reflection, by prior registration, through

 

 

With the help of the Portuguese PSP, 12 suspects were arrested, including the administrator of the Internet page from which the network was running

The Spanish National Police dismantled a website that distributed paedophile material from Portugal, having arrested 12 suspects, including the page administrator, with the help of the Portuguese PSP.

According to the Spanish authorities, the administrator of the page (‘webmaster’), as well as the servers on which the page was hosted, were in Portugal, so the operation started with his arrest, after which the remaining paedophile suspects in Barcelona, ​​Girona, Sabadell, Cáceres, Albacete, Cádiz, Castellón, Madrid, Malaga, Murcia and Valencia.

Police stressed the reduced age of detainees, of whom four are minors and seven are just over 20 years old.

The administrator of the page was a citizen resident in Portugal who, according to the Spanish authorities, obtained significant economic benefits from this illegal activity.

The investigation had the support and collaboration of Europol (European police service), Interpol (international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation) and the Portuguese Public Security Police (PSP).

The investigation began thanks to anonymous information received through the Spanish police portal, which then sent agents to investigate the case.

During the investigation, the agents also managed to identify two Colombian citizens, having sent this information through Interpol to Colombia, which is expected to follow up on the case, according to the country’s laws.

 

The period of greatest operational commitment of the means of the Special Rural Fire Fighting Device (DECIR) for 2020 ended on September 30, in what was the third consecutive year with results below the average of the last decade, in number of ignitions and area burned.

Comparing the data from 2020 with the history of the previous 10 years, there were 47% less rural fires and 38% less burnt area. This is the first time since 2009 that three consecutive years have taken place with a reduction in these indicators related to rural fires.

Thus, and according to the Provisional Report on Rural Fires of the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF), this year it presents, until September 30, the 2nd lowest value in number of fires and the 5th lowest value of burnt area since 2010.
In total, 8,968 rural fires were recorded, up to September 30, when the average between 2010 and 2019 was 16,873 fires.

The burnt area, in the same period, was 64,972 hectares, when the average of the last decade was 104,109 hectares.

Since July 1, 11,825 operational personnel, 2,749 teams, 2,654 vehicles and 60 air vehicles have been engaged in DECIR Level IV.

Until the 15th of October, Level III will be in effect, with 9,804 operational personnel, 2,277 teams, 2,154 vehicles, maintaining the 60 aerial means. The National Network of Watchtowers will also maintain the 230 active posts until October 15th.

Until the 15th of October, Level III will be in effect, with 9,804 operational personnel, 2,277 teams, 2,154 vehicles, maintaining the 60 aerial means. The National Network of Watchtowers will also maintain the 230 active posts until October 15th.

It should be remembered that, despite the definition of the various levels of commitment of resources throughout the year, the Directive establishing the DECIR provides for operational flexibility, and the device can be strengthened if the weather conditions recommend it.

The impact of climate change on the phenomenon of fires is, moreover, one of the aspects that the Government will take into account when assessing the results of 2020. It is noteworthy that 86% of the fires have a burnt area of ​​less than 1 hectare. However, this year there were 11 fires with a burnt area of ​​more than 1,000 hectares, which leads to the need to reinforce the priority given to the reform of the forest, the cleaning of the land around the houses and villages and the awareness of the populations to the need to avoid risky behaviors such as the use of machinery or burning and burning on risky days.

 

Although in the past 3 years there have been no fatalities among civilians to mourn, the Government is concerned with the tragic events that led to the deaths of five firefighters and one pilot. In this regard, special attention will be paid to matters related to the safety of the operational staff members of the device.

 

Part of the group of undocumented migrants who landed in the Algarve in September fled this morning from the army headquarters of Tavira, where they were waiting for their removal from the country, said a source from the Foreigners and Borders Service ( SEF).

At stake are, according to the SEF, 17 of the 28 members of the group that landed on the Deserta island, in Faro, and which was later, by court order, placed in the custody of the SEF until their removal from Portugal due to irregular entry into the country.

The group also included three women, one pregnant, and a minor, but only the 24 men in the group were in the barracks of the Army’s No. 1 Infantry Regiment in Tavira, SEF said in a statement.

“The Foreigners and Borders Service confirms the escape, this morning, of 17 of the 24 foreign citizens installed in the Barracks of the Infantry Regiment no. 1 of the Detachment of Tavira, where they were doing the prophylactic quarantine, after two of them accused positive à covid-19 ”, the note reads.

The same source added that “the police authorities have already located two citizens, one of whom was transported to Faro Hospital, after being injured in one foot during the escape, and the other is in the PSP facilities in Tavira”.

In addition to the 24 men installed in the Tavira barracks, the three women who were part of the group “were installed in the Santo António Housing Unit, in Porto”, while the “minor was handed over to the Family and Minors Court in Faro”, clarified the SEF.

“All the necessary mechanisms have already been put in place on the ground to locate the citizens concerned, in conjunction with the other national and Spanish criminal police bodies,” said the service that oversees the stay of foreigners in Portugal.

Migrants from North Africa were intercepted on the island of Deserta on September 16 and were later heard in the Faro Judicial Court for irregular entry and stay in national territory, and their removal from national territory was applied as a precautionary measure.

The vessel on which the 28 migrants arrived on the island is about seven meters long and is similar to those used in the other five illegal landings registered in the region since December.