The Prime Minister, António Costa, said this Wednesday that the Government gave a favourable opinion to the renewal of the state of emergency, after the Council of Ministers.

After the extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers, Costa spoke to journalists and said that he will meet on Thursday with the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who may enact the extension of the state of emergency. The measures proposed by the Government will also be discussed for approval by Parliament on Thursday.

The prime minister said that “the government has given its assent to renewing the period of state of emergency”. “The behaviour of the population has been exemplary, it is a very difficult effort to make,” he added.

About the reopening of schools, Costa recalled, as Marcelo had mentioned on Tuesday, that the Government will meet on the 7th and that on the 9th it will present “the decisions about the school year”.

“This month is the decisive month for us to control the pandemic. Easter will have to be different than usual. It is a message that we have to pass on to our compatriots abroad, whom we ask that, this time, spend Easter on their current residence, being certain that, if they come, they will have to be confined in their homes “, said the Prime Minister.

“The decision is absolutely exceptional, which demonstrates the scale of the seriousness of the situation and the sacrifice it represents for thousands of families. We must be very cautious in applying these sacrifices.”

The Government’s opinion goes for discussion and approval in the Parliament, on Thursday, for later decision and decree of the President of the Republic