The government approved Tuesday 13th  August the civil requirement of drivers of hazardous materials, which will be applied gradually. Initially in only affects the southern areas (Photo courtesy Antonio Cotria – Lusa)

General civil requisition is not out of the question, it depends on the duration of the strike and the fulfilment of minimum services.

According to data from the National Entity for the Energy Sector, at 8:00 am on Tuesday, the 13th, the 22 stations of the Special Network of Gas Station (REPA) of the Algarve had only 20.6% of the total gasoline stock and 21.6% diesel.

In Beja, the volume was 27.9% (gasoline) and 21.2% (diesel) in the 11 REPA stations. Data for these two districts – Faro and Beja – are very low compared to those in the rest of the country.

CIVIL REQUISITION

Secretary of State for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Tiago Antunes, said that the resolution will be complemented by two ordinances: “One will focus on civil requisition only in the areas and services where, to date, non-compliance with minimum services has been identified; the other will establish the terms in which the intervention of the Armed Forces under this civil requisition will take place. In all there will be 120 military personnel, including drivers and helpers.

Tiago Antunes pointed out that the non-fulfilment of minimum services has already been verified, “supplying the southern part of the country from Sines, supplying REPA, supplying airports and supplying autonomous natural gas units”.

Pedro Pardal Henriques, spokesman for the Hazardous Drivers’ Union (SNMMP), in Aveiras de Cima, Lisbon sated that all drivers of hazardous goods vehicles are working, this Tuesday, the second day of strike and the first in which civil requisition has ken effect.

Despite this, Pardal Henriques believes that “gradually, the gas stations will be empty”.

Although “this morning everything is going smoothly,” the GNR military continues to escort the tanker trucks leaving the various locations to fill the stations, a source at Lusa .

The drivers are today completing the second day of an indefinite strike with the aim of demanding from ANTRAM compliance with the agreement signed in May, which provides for a wage increase

EASYJET STATEMENT

Due to the strike EasyJet issued a warning this evening that “some flights to and from Portugal may require additional technical stops to refuel at alternative airports. It also advised passengers traveling to and from Portugal to check the status of their flight as well as to travel to national airports with “extra time” due to the driver’s strike.