The Minister of Home Affairs said that firefighters will have “a stronger role” in Civil Protection structures and expressed hope that negotiations with the Fireman’s League (LBP) will be completed by the end of January.

Eduardo Cabrita said that “there is a reinforced role that is intended to be attributed to the participation of firefighters in this structure and a respect for the organisational autonomy” of the humanitarian associations, which are currently around 450.

“What is foreseen is the existence of a fire brigade integrated in the ANPC, with an autonomous budget that transparently reflects the financial relationship with the fire brigades. Also in the decision of the person in charge of this structure, the LBP has a word to say “in the profile that will” condition the recruitment process, “as well as compulsorily being heard in the designation of the person responsible for this national fire department,” he explained.

Eduardo Cabrita also said that the LBP will also have “a word to say in the professional content and in the mission of those in charge of the territorial structure of Civil Protection.”

The minister stressed that the “experience of command of fire brigades” will be “an indispensable requirement to compete for the functions that succeed what today are the second district commanders of Civil Protection.”

He stressed that it will be “strengthened and clarified what the powers of the current National Fire Brigade Council are.”

During the commission, Eduardo Cabrita was questioned by several MPs about the future organic law of the ANPC and about the LBP’s challenge, which in December, for 10 days, failed to communicate operational information to district relief operations (CDOS) of protest.

At the end of December, the LBP suspended the measures until March due to the opening of the Government to negotiate.

Eduardo Cabrita stressed that the effective dialogue allowed the clarification of questions about the organic law of ANPC.

“The proposal was approved for public consultation on October 25, but there have been some misunderstandings that are happily overcome. We will not be in full agreement on everything. These dialogue processes have these characteristics, but I think there is a frank opening for dialogue, “the minister said.

The League claims a national independent fire department with its own budget, a self-contained fire department and the firefighter’s social card.