An order that determines the times to cross the border between Portugal and Spain, in the towns of Rio de Onor (Bragança), Tourém (Vila Real) and Barrancos (Beja), following the pandemic, was published today in Diário da República (DR).

The joint order of the ministers of Foreign Affairs and Internal Administration states that the decision stems from a resolution of the Council of Ministers, of 16 March, on restoring, “exceptionally and temporarily”, the control of “people at the borders” between Portugal and Spain, in the context of the pandemic situation of the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

The diploma determines that on Wednesdays and Saturdays, between 10:00 and 12:00, “Rio de Onor, border bridge of Rua da Costa, rural route, is an authorized crossing point on the land border”.

In relation to Tourém and Barrancos, the authorized crossing point across the land border between the two countries is on Mondays and Thursdays, between 06:00 and 08:00 and from 17:00 to 19:00.

The order takes effect on June 1.

The diploma explains that “the localities of Rio de Onor (Portugal) / Rihonor de Castilla (Spain), Tourém (Portugal) / Calvos de Randim (Spain) and Barrancos (Portugal) / Encinasola (Spain) are decentralized, with residents in Portuguese towns and residents in Spain who move between the two countries frequently ”.

For this reason, the “total cut of access roads does not seem to be the most appropriate modality”, under penalty of “causing constraints to the essential activities of the local population”.

Globally, according to the latest assessment by the agency France-Presse, the pandemic has already caused more than 355 thousand deaths and infected more than 5.7 million people in 196 countries and territories.