Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 10^th April 2024

Good morning. Some fine weather ahead. Temperatures begin to rise this Wednesday “well above average for the time of year”, according to IPMA. From Thursday onwards, maximum temperatures ​​will vary between 25 and 28C, although possibly lower across the entire coastal strip and in the Algarve. In some places in the Douro Valley (innermost part) and Alto Alentejo, temperatures of 30 degrees are possible.

With the fine weather we ask people to take care when heading to beaches as there are no lifeguards in place at most beaches. A reminder to be on the lookout for rip currents and if caught in one do not try and swim against the current towards the shore, but instead swim parallel to the shore and when the current is no longer felt turn and head towards the shoreline.

Yesterday I made a visit to the GNR at their headquarters in Lisbon primarily to discuss the crime figures, which were published last week. It was confirmed that we will need to wait for the RASI Homeland Security Report, which contains more details. The GNR wanted emphasise was the cause of the crime increases. It appeared from our discussions that fraud was a main factor as well as opportunist crime, which we had already highlighted. Both of these crimes are preventable and the advice is for everyone to take more care of their belongings in public areas and ensure their property is secure when leaving home. As far as on-line fraud crime is concerned to take care that the sites visited are genuine.

Another factor highlighted was youth crime in particular those under 12 years of age, which is disturbing. Much of this it is believed from recent studies is attributable to stress resulting from the Covid pandemic period, with a consequential increase in violent behaviour. We will be examining this shortly, result from a study that has been undertaken in delinquency and violent behaviour.

Whilst in Lisbon I also visited the new British Ambassador Lisa Bandari and the new British Vice Consul Jocelyn McCall Ferreira. The meeting mainly focused on the work of the Safe Communities and its development since 2011. We also discussed climate change and the importance of awareness and preparedness for natural hazards in order to reduce the impact of disasters, the crime situation, the GNR Safe Residence Program and Safe Communities Emergency Medical card. Also discussed was the continuity of government programs affecting our work under the new government.

A reminder for those who have not yet undertaken our Preparedness for Natural Hazards Survey, to do so as soon as possible please. This will give more in depth information of the level of awareness of the foreign community on this subject and more important the level of awareness. The survey and explanatory note can be found here. https://forms.gle/aaZQCCkL9Xf53Dgo9

A reminder of our Safe Communities Portugal Protection against Natural Disasters Facebook group which now comprises some 3300 members. This group provides important information concerning the effects of climate change, extreme weather conditions and being prepared for disasters, such as rural fires, earthquakes as well as the drought situation. The aim is to develop knowledge on various topics including metrological conditions so people are forewarned well in advance, and can be more prepared thus reducing the impact of disasters. As we approach the main rural fire season preparedness is very important in order to reduce the risks to our properties, family and ourselves.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/safecommunitiesportugalprotectionnaturaldisasters

We wish you a safe week ahead.

News

European Union praises Portugal’s plan to prevent discrimination by security forces

In a European report on racism in the police, the agency recalled that the Portuguese plan includes measures that include “communication strategies to encourage greater diversity of recruits, both in terms of gender and racial or ethnic origin”

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights praised this Wednesday Portugal’s plan to prevent discrimination in security forces and services, promoting diversity in recruitment.

In a European report on racism in the police, the agency recalled that the Portuguese plan includes measures that include “communication strategies to encourage greater diversity of recruits, both in terms of gender and racial or ethnic origin”.

The “plan provides for the appointment of a person responsible for human rights” for the Judiciary Police, Public Security Police and National Republican Guard and “establishes and reinforces preventive intervention mechanisms in the event of discriminatory behaviour on the part of agents”.

“In 2022, the first annual monitoring report recommended that all police forces harmonize their internal rules on discrimination, adopt new measures to prevent discriminatory behaviour and promote training actions on the issue of discrimination”, highlights the agency.

In the report, the agency highlights that Portugal is one of the ten countries that have specific legislation on “the prohibition of racial or ethnic discrimination” and one of the four in which the “police law enshrines non-discrimination among the fundamental principles of their activities “.

The Plan to Prevent Manifestations of Discrimination in the Security Forces and Services has existed since 2020 and aims to combat racism and any type of discrimination in the police.

It was in this context that the General Inspectorate of Internal Administration (IGAI) began training last year with commanders of GNR posts and PSP police stations on combating any type of discrimination in the police.

Coordinated by IGAI, the plan binds the GNR and PSP to reinforce areas of intervention from recruitment to training, the interaction of members of the security forces with other citizens and among themselves (including on social media), promoting the image of the police and communication, preventive and monitoring mechanisms for manifestations of discrimination.

Government program is approved today by the Council of Ministers and delivered to parliament

Lisbon, April 10, 2024 (Lusa) – The program of the XXIV Constitutional Government will be delivered to the Assembly of the Republic today at the end of the morning, after being approved by the Council of Ministers.

The document will be delivered to the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, at 11:45 and, half an hour later, the press conference of the Council of Ministers is scheduled, which will meet at 09:00 hrs, at the prime minister’s official residence, to approve the document.

This Council of Ministers had been announced on Saturday by the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, at an informal meeting that brought together the entire Government in Óbidos, and in which he told the media that work on the program was already “very advanced”.

“There is always articulation, coordination and writing work, but we will continue the work in the coming days. We will have a meeting of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday at 9:00 am where we will approve the Government Program and send it to parliament “, he then said.

On that occasion, the Prime Minister also assured that “the campaign commitments must be fulfilled”.

On Tuesday afternoon, the president of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, had already informed that a symbolic moment of delivery of the Government’s program to parliament by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Pedro Duarte, was being agreed, which will take place at the end of the leaders conference.

Last week, at the end of the executive’s first Council of Ministers, the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, refused to answer whether or not the Government’s program will have many differences in relation to the electoral program.

In the AD electoral program (pre-electoral coalition between PSD, CDS-PP and PPM for the March 10 elections), among other commitments, it is expected to present an Emergency Plan for the National Health Service (SNS) in the first 60 days of the executive and the full recovery of teachers’ frozen service time in a phased manner over the next five years (at a rate of 20% per year)

Reduction of IRS rates up to the 8th income bracket (between 0.5 and three percentage points), a maximum IRS of 15% for young people up to 35 years of age and the reduction of the IRC rate from the current 21% to 15 % in three years (at the rate of two percentage points per year) are other promises expressed in the AD electoral program, along with the increase in the National Minimum Wage to 1,000 euros by the end of the legislature, the evolution of the average salary to 1,750 euros and the increase from the reference value of the Solidarity Supplement for the Elderly (CSI) to 820 euros in 2028.

The Program of the XXIV Constitutional Government will be presented and discussed in the Assembly of the Republic between Thursday and Friday and, once the debate is concluded, the executive will take on full functions. The PCP announced a motion to reject the document, but the PS has already said it cannot be made viable.