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 Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 12 February 2025

by Mike Evans

Good day to you all wherever you may be reading this latest Algarve report from. At the turn of the year after over 20 years of Tolls along the main A22 Motorway which crosses the Algarve was finally made free to travel along. There had been many protests about the charges that were instigated by the government, not least because many felt that as it was paid for by EU money there should not have been tolls put in place in the beginning.

Well, after just 6 weeks there are many in politics who feel that this may have been a hasty decision!

Deputies from the Socialist Party ( PS ) warned the Government about the degradation of the Via do Infante road surface, proposing a regular maintenance plan for the A22 and the removal of the old toll booths.

Jamila Madeira, Jorge Botelho and Luís Graça draw attention to the “foreseeable increase in road traffic” with the implementation of the end of tolls on the A22, a situation that, according to the party, “requires renewed attention from the Government to maintaining the quality of the road surface”.

Luís Graça, MP and president of the PS Algarve federation, recalls that “even during the concession period, when the payment of tolls was supposed to guarantee the provision of a high-quality road, the degradation of the road surface on Via do Infante was a recurring cause for concern for socialist MPs and mayors”.

With the end of tolls and the increase in the number of vehicles using the A22, a “more demanding” maintenance and conservation plan is required. “In several sections, the surface of the Via do Infante already shows clear signs of degradation. With winter, the end of tolls and the increase in traffic, the surface will wear out more quickly, so it is important that Infraestruturas de Portugal implement measures to guarantee the safety of users”, concluded the socialist deputy. The deputies also requested the removal of the old toll gates, with “particular urgency” for those that remain on the Guadiana River border and that “despite the end of tolls, they still alert drivers entering Portugal from Spain to the existence of a toll road”.

“The end of tolls restored justice to territorial cohesion, favouring mobility and road safety, the economy and tourism in a region that had no decent alternative to driving on the A22”, considers the PS. Whether this is a case of the old regime having a go at the new government we will find out soon enough if they are right and the road starts to deteriorate with the increased traffic.

Now a look at some of the other news stories from around the region.

PSP Arrests 3 People in Tavira for Drug Trafficking

The Faro PSP District Command reports that, during the course of yesterday 10th February, it arrested three suspects, two men and a woman aged between 42 and 56, for trafficking in narcotics, through the Criminal Investigation Brigade of its Tavira Police Station.

This police action resulted from an investigation that had been carried out over the last few months, in which it was possible to determine that the suspects were carrying out their criminal activity in the city centre of Tavira , in the form of direct sales to consumers, which caused instability and concern among the resident population.

Based on the evidence gathered during the investigation, two home search warrants were issued, which were carried out yesterday morning.

The searches carried out resulted in the seizure of 146 individual doses of cocaine, two individual doses of heroin, two bladed weapons, two vehicles and other materials and articles commonly used in the criminal practice in question. The suspects were therefore arrested.They will be brought to court today for questioning and the application of coercive measures.

The Faro District Command is confident that, as a result of this action, the usual tranquility will be restored in that area of ​​the city of Tavira.

Man Arrested for Attempted Rape of a Woman in Albufeira

The Judicial Police (PJ) arrested a 38-year-old man suspected of having attempted to rape a woman in Albufeira, after entering her home without her consent, that police force announced this Saturday (8th).

In a statement, the PJ revealed that the attempted rape took place in the early hours of Tuesday (4th), with the suspect being arrested the following day. The 48-year-old woman was allegedly coerced into sexual acts by the man who entered her home without her knowledge or consent, the PJ explained.

The PJ pointed out that the woman suffered bodily injuries when defending herself from the attacker. “In 2024, the suspect entered the victim’s home, although he was never identified, a situation that caused him anxiety and fear at night,” the police force stressed.

The detainee was held in preventive detention after being present for the first judicial interrogation, a coercive measure that may be replaced by an obligation to remain at home.

Four Suspected Thieves Arrested in Lagos

The PSP arrested this Friday, the 7th, four suspects of burglary in residences, who tried to escape by jumping over the fence of a school in Lagos, with one of the group members being injured by a gunshot, the corporation reported. “Following this escape, one of the suspects was shot in the foot, at which point all of the aforementioned individuals were intercepted,” the PSP said in a statement, arguing that “warning shots were fired into the air” during the operation.

The detainees belonged to a group suspected of burglaries inside homes and were approached by the PSP while they were travelling in a car, having started to flee, first by car and then on foot, said the police force. “In this sense, the PSP pursued the four suspects on foot, with warning shots being fired into the air by the police officers involved, and the suspects, in order to avoid being approached by the police, jumped over the wall and fence of a school”, the security force explained. It was “following this escape” that the injured person “was hit by a gunshot in the foot”, explained the PSP, highlighting that the educational establishment “was used unexpectedly by the suspects” without causing injuries among students and other users.

The security force stressed that the injured suspect received emergency medical assistance at the scene and was then taken to a hospital unit, where he will receive treatment.

The case is now under the jurisdiction of the Judicial Police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the “circumstances of the incident will be investigated in a criminal and disciplinary investigation”, the PSP noted.

The police stressed that there is “no link of criminal intent in relation to the educational establishment”.

The PSP statement comes after the mayor of Lagos said that a group of men who were trying to escape from the authorities had tried to hide in a primary school in Lagos, in an incident in which police had fired shots into the air outside the school.

According to Hugo Pereira, the four men were fleeing the PSP in a car, but when they realized they had no way out, they started to flee on foot and some of them jumped into the Escola Básica do Bairro Operário to hide. “Some were arrested when they tried to jump over the school wall and others were already inside the school perimeter, but the main action took place outside the school,” he said, adding that during the chase shots were fired into the air in an attempt to stop them.

According to the mayor, the men, who were already under police investigation, were intercepted by car outside the school area, located near the center of Lagos.

Hugo Pereira added that most of the students did not even realize what had happened, taking the opportunity to praise the security forces for the way they handled the situation.

PSP Arrests Man for Drug Trafficking in Portimao

The Faro PSP District Command, through the Criminal Investigation Squad of the Portimão Police Division, arrested a 23-year-old man on Thursday (6th) for the crime of drug trafficking, the police force reported .

“The police officers involved were on preventive patrol and found that the suspect was inside a vehicle, accompanied by another citizen later identified, apparently dealing in narcotics, which prompted their prompt approach,” the PSP explained in a statement.

The approach resulted in confirmation of the suspicion, “with significant quantities of narcotics (hashish) having been seized spread across various compartments of the vehicle in question, which led to its detention”, the note continues.

Following the arrest, further police investigations were carried out, with a total of around 4,300 doses of hashish, 2,430 euros in notes of various denominations, a baseball bat and various materials commonly used in the development of this criminal activity being seized.

According to the PSP, the detainee will likely appear before a judicial authority today for possible application of coercive measures.

Algarve Lack of Candidates for Medical Positions

The Algarve continues to have great difficulties in attracting doctors to its hospital units, with positions advertised receiving virtually no applicants. The Algarve Local Health Unit published a notice in the Official Gazette, advertised a job in the category of assistant, hospital area, medical career, Cardiology specialty, but the result was a severe lack of candidates.

Another notice was published, for “two jobs in the assistant category, hospital area, medical career, specialty of General Surgery” and again received virtually no candidates.

An Internal Medicine specialty job “was deserted due to the sole candidate being excluded for not meeting the admission requirements for the competition procedure”.

Three jobs advertised in the specialty of Psychiatry received just one candidate, who was approved.

New Algarve Town Approved by President of RepublicThe President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, has promulgated the decree that elevates Boliqueime, in the municipality of Loulé, to the category of town. This follows hot on the heels of Almancil becoming a City. The decree-law, presented by the parliamentary group of the Socialist Party (PS), had been unanimously approved in the plenary session of the Assembly of the Republic on 17 January.

The proposal to elevate Boliqueime to the status of town was presented in September 2024 by the socialist deputies elected by the Faro constituency, Jamila Madeira, Luís Graça and Jorge Botelho, joined by fellow socialist deputy Pedro Delgado Alves.

The document was approved conclusively, with favourable votes from deputies from all benches, in the plenary session on October 4th of last year.

To end this report — Lagos Chosen to Host Portugal Day Celebrations

The celebrations of Portugal Day (10 June) will take place this year in Lagos, extending to the Portuguese community in Macau. The order of the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, dated 30 January and published in the Official Gazette, designates “the city of Lagos as the venue for the celebrations of the Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities, in 2025, extending the celebrations to the Portuguese community in Macau”.

The document establishes that “a Commission chaired by Dr. Lídia Jorge, writer, is set up to organize the celebrations”, without giving details about the schedule of the celebrations.

The city of Lagos is once again the stage for the celebrations of Portugal Day, 29 years after the 10th of June was celebrated there in 1996 by the then President of the Republic Jorge Sampaio.

Speaking to Lusa, the mayor of Lagos, Hugo Pereira, said that “the designation is a great honour and a historic recognition for the Algarve city”.

“It is a source of pride for all the people of Lagos because it projects the city and its role in the national economy, also highlighting its importance as the city of Discoveries,” he emphasised.

Hugo Pereira also highlighted the “honour of having the Algarve writer Lídia Jorge chairing the organising committee for the celebrations, in a program that will be defined by the Presidency of the Republic and that will have the full support of the municipality”.

In 2024, Portugal Day celebrations took place in three municipalities in Leiria affected by the 2017 fires and in Coimbra, extending the celebrations to the Portuguese community in Switzerland.

Switzerland was the seventh country to host the celebration, after France (2016), Brazil (2017), the United States (2018), Cape Verde (2019), the United Kingdom (2022) and South Africa (2023).

Until the next time Stay Safe

 

The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 5th February 2025

by Mike Evans

Good day to you all. With all the rain we have had in the past week or so it is pleasing to hear that the reservoirs that feed the Algarve are at 50% and should have enough water for us to use until well into 2026. At the same time there was news that The Government has decided to propose to the European Commission (EC) the transfer of funding for the Albufeira Desalination Plant and the Pomarão Water Intake projects, on the Guadiana, initially planned in the Recovery and Resilience Programme ( RRP ), to the Climate Action and Sustainability Programme (Sustainable 2030).

According to a statement sent to newsrooms, this transfer is part of the reprogramming of funds (PRR and PT 2030, in which Sustentável 2030 is integrated), which is in the process of being submitted to the European Commission.

For the Government, this decision brings several advantages, such as “an increase in the contribution of community funding to projects, which could reach 85%, a two-year extension of the deadline for carrying out works and greater flexibility in management”. The note states that the Pisão Dam project will also follow its normal course, “no longer being integrated into the PRR and now being financed by Portugal 2030 and the State Budget”.

The Albufeira Desalination Plant, Pomarão Water Intake and Pisão Dam projects are of great importance in the set of measures that have been taken to ensure the water resilience of the Algarve and Alentejo, a commitment made by the Government from the outset.

On this subject, Cristóvão Norte, president of PSD Algarve, assures that “the decision to build the desalination plant and capture water from Pomarão are moving forward. They are a reality. No delays from the past will stop the projects. The origin of the financing is not relevant, what is important is its implementation”. There is still a lot of opposition from various groups opposed to the desalination plant being built and it remains to be seen if this change of funding will have any effect on the governments thinking regarding the best way to go to ensure the region has a good supply of water.

Now for a look at some of the other news stories from the region.

Parachutists Rescued From Sea near Ferragudo

Four parachutists, two instructors of Portuguese nationality and two practitioners of Scottish nationality, were today, January 31, assisted by the crew of the Ferragudo Lifeguard Station, after having fallen into the water while practicing the activity, next to Três Irmãos beach, in the municipality of Portimão .

Following an alert received at 11:25 am, through a parachuting services company, crew members from the Ferragudo Lifeguard Station and members of the local command of the Portimão Maritime Police were activated. Members of the Portimão Volunteer Firefighters and the INEM Emergency and Resuscitation Medical Vehicle (VMER) also went to the scene. When they arrived at the scene, the Lifeguard Station crew collected the equipment from the water and helped the swimmers, who were showing “signs of fatigue”.

According to the National Maritime Authority , the victims were assisted by members of the VMER, with one of the instructors, aged 40, being transported to a hospital by firefighters, showing signs of “exhaustion and hypothermia”.

The local command of the Portimão Maritime Police took charge of the incident.

Albufeira Leads the Way in Automatic External Defibrillator Program Nationwide

12 new defibrillation units have been installed recently in places such as Galé beach, Ribeiro Park, Branqueira, Estrada das Fontainhas, Olhos de Água beach, Estrada das Açoteias, Rossio, Almeijoafras ( Paderne ), Albufeira Road, Vilamoura Road, Cerro do Ouro Educational Center and Albufeira Multipurpose Space, according to a note from Albufeira City Council.

The municipality’s investment in this type of equipment makes Albufeira the municipality with the most AEDs (Automatic External Defibrillators) of a community nature, in absolute terms, nationwide. At the beginning of 2025, there were already a total of 62 AEDs integrated into the Community PDAE, placing the municipality ahead of other Portuguese municipalities with AED equipment installed on public roads.

This investment, which amounts to around 100 thousand euros per year, is also the largest recorded in the country. Currently, considering only its DAE Programme, Albufeira has in its geographical area around 14 facilities for every 10 thousand inhabitants, a number significantly higher than the national average, which is an average of four facilities for the same number of people.

The Mayor , José Carlos Rolo, emphasizes that “with this DAE Program, Albufeira effectively invests in training the population and community assistance, aiming to protect human life”.

In addition to purchasing and installing equipment, the local authority has invested heavily in training and capacity building for the population, offering courses in Basic Life Support (BLS) with AEDs for residents. To date, more than 1,400 people have been included in the Program as community first responders, a number that represents around 3% of the population living in the municipality.

The local authority would like to point out that over the last two years, simulation exercises have also been carried out with the aim of testing the functionality of the programme, both in terms of human resources and the technological component, as well as in the simulation of response times. These exercises have demonstrated the effectiveness of the programme and the usefulness of AED equipment on public roads and in municipal facilities.

In order to speed up response times to medical emergencies, the Albufeira PDAE is directly connected to the security and rescue forces, who receive information about the activation of equipment in real time.

Since the implementation of the program, there have been several successful cases. In 2021, a 21-year-old Portuguese man was saved by one of these devices, and the same happened in the case of a 27-year-old Irish man in 2024.

11-year-old Child Dies After Being Hit by a Truck in Albufeira

An 11-year-old child died on Thursday, the 30th, after being fatally run over by a truck on an avenue in the city of Albufeira, revealed a source from the Algarve Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command ( CREPC ).

The rescue teams received the alert at 5:32 pm and, upon arriving at the scene, they came across “a hit-and-run by a heavy goods vehicle”, which resulted in the death of the girl, a Brazilian national, the same source added.

The accident occurred “in an urban area, right within Albufeira”, on one of the city’s main avenues, Avenida dos Descobrimentos, he said.

The CDOS source highlighted that the child still received assistance, but death was declared, at the scene, by the doctor from the Emergency and Resuscitation Medical Vehicle (VMER) of the National Institute of Medical Emergency ( INEM ).

Providing assistance at the scene were 23 operatives, including members of the Albufeira Fire Department, INEM and GNR, with nine vehicles.

Man Arrested for Threatening Behaviour Against Police Officers

A 65 year old man was arrested on Tuesday, after two off-duty police officers from the Special Police Unit came across the individual “committing dangerous driving acts.”

The two police officers, while driving their private vehicle in Faro, came across the man, who was “committing dangerous driving acts, a circumstance that almost culminated in a traffic accident”, says the PSP. “The suspect insulted and threatened the police officers using a bladed weapon, at which point they identified themselves by showing their professional ID, and immobilized the suspect”.

With the assistance of the Faro Criminal Investigation Squad, a search of the suspect and his house were carried out, which resulted in the seizure of 197 individual doses of cocaine, a bladed weapon with a total length of 30 centimetres and around €3100 in cash.

The detainee already has a “criminal record for violent crimes and drug trafficking”, says the PSP. 

“Taxa Zero” Road Safety Campaign Begins on 4 February.

A new road safety campaign starts across the country tomorrow, lasting until Monday February 10, and will be out in force on the nation’s road, breathalysing drivers. The focus will be on “taxa zero” – zero sign of alcohol in the blood.

 As if the campaign needed any explanation, a statement by the police/ ANSR (authority for road safety) states:

“In  Portugal in 2023, one in four drivers killed in road accidents had a blood alcohol level of 0.5 g/l or more and three in four of these drivers had a level of 1.2 g/l or more. Of all the road accident victims autopsied, 23% had a blood alcohol level higher than the legally permitted limit, of which 73% exceeded the level considered criminal (=1.20 g/l).

Until the next time Stay Safe..

 

The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 29th January 2025

by Mike Evans

Good day to you all wherever you may be reading this report. Usually we start off with a subject that has been in the news over the past week and is relevant to our aims of Safety and Security. This week we are slightly off that remit in that I am writing to inform you if you were not already a resident of Almancil that you will soon be a city dweller! Yes, in the past week in Parliament, it was approved and announced that Almancil fulfills the criteria of a city! Like me I am sure a number of you will ask what is the criteria? Well here are the requirements that have to be addressed in order to be able to get “City” Status.

According to the legislation, a locality that has more than eight thousand voters and at least half of the following facilities may be elevated to the category of city: hospital facilities, pharmacies, fire brigade , entertainment venue and cultural center, museums and library, hotel facilities, preparatory and secondary education establishment, pre-primary education establishment and nurseries, public transport and parks or public gardens.

Almancil is a parish in the municipality of Loulé, with an area of ​​62.30 square kilometers and 10,677 inhabitants, according to the 2021 Census, a population increase that has almost doubled since 1981.Being that the area consists of the two major Holiday com[plexes, Vilamoura and Vale do Lobo it does beg the question, do you have to be a permanent resident to be part of the 8,000 people. Anyway, just what this elevation to City status means to the area we will wait to see but from all of us a Safe Communities, Congratulations.

Now  a look at some of the other news from our region this last week.

Big Haul of Hashish Washed UP on Algarve Beach

The National Republican Guard ( GNR ) seized more than 93 kilos of hashish last week on the Costa Vicentina and in the western Algarve, the security force announced. The Maritime Police also seized 369 kilos of hashish found on several beaches.

In a statement, the force responsible for customs inspection and coastal control informs that, following the worsening of weather conditions and sea conditions, the Coastal and Border Control Unit (UCCF) has intensified patrols along the coastline over the last few days.

On Thursday (23rd), on Manuel Lourenço beach (Guia), the military detected and seized a bale of burlap with hashish inside, weighing a total of 43.5 kilos. They also seized, on the same day, on Cordoama beach ( Vila do Bispo ), several packages containing drugs, with a total weight of 4.5 kilos.

On Mareta beach (Sagres), on Friday (24th), the military detected and seized a bale of burlap containing hashish, weighing 45.05 kilos.

According to the GNR, the operation was coordinated by the UCCF and the Faro Territorial Command, involving land and sea patrol teams in coastal areas.

On Friday, the Maritime Police (PM) also announced that in the last three days they had seized 369 kilograms of hashish found on the Algarve coast, on beaches in the municipalities of Faro, Portimão and Lagos.

Injured Fisherman Airlifted from Cliff to Hospital

A recreational fisherman who fell this Saturday, the 25th, on a cliff in the municipality of Aljezur, was transported by helicopter with serious injuries, early in the evening, to a hospital unit, revealed the National Maritime Authority ( AMN ).

In a statement, AMN said that a 68-year-old man was in a difficult-to-access area and was initially rescued by the Aljezur Volunteer Firefighters. According to AMN, the victim had suffered an accidental fall on a cliff while fishing at Ponta da Atalaia, in the municipality of Aljezur.

The alert was received at 5:17 pm, through the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center, reporting a person falling off a cliff.

According to AMN, elements of the local command of the Lagos Maritime Police , the Aljezur Volunteer Firefighters and an INEM helicopter were sent to the scene. “The victim, who had suspected fractures, was later transported to a hospital by INEM helicopter,” said AMN.

PSP Launch Operation To Prevent Violence and Possession of Weapons in Schools 

On the 27th January, the Public Security Police launched the operation “Violence? No, thanks!”, to raise awareness among students in the 3rd cycle of primary and secondary education on issues such as school violence, the use and possession of weapons and juvenile delinquency.

In addition to raising awareness, students are also encouraged to resolve their conflicts peacefully, using dialogue rather than violence.

In a statement, the PSP say that the incidents recorded in the 2023/2024 school year, within the scope of the Safe School Program (PES), increased compared to 2022/2023, although they are still below the average of the last decade (4,445).This operation, which runs until the end of January, is part of the PES, an integrated community policing model under which the PSP is responsible for security in more than 3,170 public, private and cooperative education schools, involving a total of 902,000 students and 150,000 teachers and operational assistants.

The police officers from the Safe School Program teams involved in these actions teach students some approaches to resolving conflicts, methods to calm down when they feel angry, and also explain to them who they can turn to for help.

During these awareness-raising activities, in addition to characterising juvenile delinquency, the officers explain to the students the consequences of violent behaviour, warning them that, despite being minors, there are consequences that could affect their future if they commit acts that could be classified as a crime.

In the 2022/2023 school year, 3,824 incidents related to school spaces (inside, outside and home-school-home routes) were recorded by the Safe School Program teams, while in the last school year the number rose to 4,107.

Of the total number of incidents recorded last school year, 2,956 were of a criminal nature, which is equivalent to 72% of the total recorded within the scope of the PES. Of all the criminal incidents recorded, 71.4% took place on school premises. The most reported incidents continue to be assaults, insults and threats.

The PSP also says that in the last academic year, the lowest number of robberies in the last five years was recorded (75), which represents a decrease of around 9% compared to the same period.

In the 2023/2024 school year, 38 incidents involving the use and/or possession of weapons were recorded (four more), with five firearms, 30 bladed weapons and four weapons of other types detected, representing an increase of 11.4%.

In total, in the 2023/2024 school year, the PSP carried out around 32,000 thematic awareness-raising actions that had the participation of more than 703,400 students, 24,500 more than in the previous year. The most addressed topics were ‘bullying’ and ‘cyberbullying’, domestic and dating violence, alcohol and drug use and prevention, and road safety.

The PSP reminds that the police officers assigned to the PES teams are always present and available to receive reports, advise and support victims, their families and the entire school community.

Man Arrested In Quarteira for Burglary and Car Theft

The GNR in Loulé arrested a 38 year old man on January 21st, suspected of thefts from homes, shops and a vehicle in Quarteira over the past four months.

During the police investigations, GNR officers managed to locate the suspect, who was driving a stolen vehicle at the time of being arrested on January 13th. The car was equipped with false license plates, which were also stolen.

During the operation, several items were recovered and seized, including: a light vehicle, two false license plates, three watches, a mobile phone and a lock pick. The recovered vehicle will be returned to the rightful owner.

The detainee is being held at GNR facilities and will be brought before the Faro Judicial Court today, Thursday, to apply the respective coercive measures.

Council Threatening Demolition of Illegal Algarve Properties

Loule Council is threatening to crack down hard on illicit buildings around the area. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in illegal construction in the municipality of Loulé, especially through the installation of wooden or modular structures on rustic land. In most cases, these buildings are intended for housing that does not meet legal requirements. Furthermore, they are often located in areas subject to administrative easements or public utility restrictions, as stipulated in the Municipal Master Plan (PDM) in force, namely in areas classified as National Agricultural Reserve (RAN) and National Ecological Reserve (REN).

Because of this, the council states that: “it is essential to once again alert all citizens that these illicit practices are subject to measures to protect urban legality. Such measures are provided for in Decree-Law No. 555/99 of December 16, in its most recent version, approved by Decree-Law No. 10/2024 of January 8, in particular in articles 102 to 109. The most severe sanction is the demolition of buildings if it is concluded that they are not eligible for licensing or legalisation”.

The council also adds that the recent change to the Urbanisation and Building Legal Regime (RJUE), in force since January 8, establishes the application of this regime to modular constructions. These are defined as structures that use modular construction systems, produced partially or entirely in a factory, and which can be fixed or transportable. “Therefore, these constructions are considered urban operations that require a prior favourable opinion from the City Council, without prejudice to the need for opinions from other entities, as stipulated in the RJUE or in specific legislation”.

Due to this situation, the council is working to raise awareness among all owners and potential purchasers of rural land about the importance of obtaining correct information before investing in constructions or structures that may be considered illegal. “Carrying out these works may result in the preparation of reports and the application of severe sanctions, including charges of crimes of violation of urban planning rules and administrative possession for the coercive demolition of the buildings.

“In addition to the financial and legal damages to offenders, these situations represent a diversion of essential public resources (if coercive demolition is carried out, with all the logistics inherent to the procedure), resources that could be channelled towards the basic needs of the population. After the demolition, the expense will be invoiced to the offending citizen. “Furthermore, there is a negative environmental impact, with significant damage to the landscape and natural heritage of the municipality”.

Until the next time Stay Safe

 

The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 22nd January 2025

by Mike Evans

A very good day to you from the Algarve where the winter rains are happening and we hope the reservoirs are filling up. THis follows the announcement that December in our region was the driest month on record, with Portugal experiencing rainfall that was “just 12% of the average value” recorded in the period between 1981 and 2010, revealed a source from the Portuguese Environment Agency ( APA ).

In the Algarve, one of the regions of the country where the effects of the drought have been most felt and where restrictions on water consumption have already been applied, the six main reservoirs “accumulate 151 cubic hectometres of stored water, corresponding to 34% of the total capacity”, a figure that, even so, reflects an “increase of 39 cubic hectometres compared to the same period last year”.

“Despite this increase, the windward [west] and the Arade basin remain in extreme hydrological drought,” warned the APA source, clarifying that the leeward is “in severe hydrological drought.”

With an additional 39 cubic hectometres stored in dams in December, compared to the same month in 2023, the Algarve is in a “better” situation and has “water reserves for a year of urban consumption”, in the event that no more rain is recorded by then, assured the APA source. With more rain forecasted we hopefully will be in a better position compared to last year when the summer arrives.

Now a look at some of the stories from around the region in the past couple of weeks.

Albufeira Inaugurates New Video Cameras in some Areas

Albufeira inaugurated this Monday, January 20, a video surveillance system with 65 cameras, installed in places with the highest influx of people and traffic, and which will be operated by the National Republican Guard ( GNR ).

“This is a system that will monitor areas with the highest traffic flow and concentration of people, namely the so-called bar street, in order to dissuade and combat crime,” the mayor of Albufeira, José Carlos Rolo , told journalists .

According to José Carlos Rolo, the video surveillance, which came into operation on December 30, 2024, “aims to help security authorities in preventing and fighting crime”, in a city that has been identified as having one of the highest crime rates ‘per capita’ in the country.

The mayor assured, however, that Albufeira “is a safe municipality” and contested the analysis of the figures made by the National Statistics Institute (INE), “by presenting true figures, in global terms, but which should not be calculated by the 44 thousand inhabitants of the municipality”. “Albufeira, being one of the largest tourist municipalities in the country, has around 500,000 people during the summer and these people do not appear in the statistics”, he lamented.

Although refuting “the idea that the municipality is unsafe as has been reported”, the mayor considered that video surveillance “will give a greater perception of security to residents and tourists”.

The cameras are installed in areas previously selected jointly by the GNR and the local authority, considered strategic locations and “of greatest concern”, allowing real-time monitoring of nightlife areas, the historic center and access to the city.

“These are areas with a history of problems and that deserve greater attention”, said the commander of the GNR detachment in Albufeira, Marco Henriques.

According to Marco Henriques, the system “is not intended to replace the guards”, but is “a very important tool to support and complement the prevention and investigation work of the various criminal police bodies”.

Video surveillance represented an investment of around 900 thousand euros, and is a system equipped with modern technology, which includes analytical and research tools, definition of alerts and capture of images in all directions, with great range and resolution.

“The entire operation is guaranteed by the GNR and only a few soldiers with specific training will have access to the system installed in two viewing rooms, one in Albufeira and the other at the Territorial Command in Faro”, he highlighted. Marco Henriques also said that crime in Albufeira “has been decreasing over time, “despite some statistics being based solely on the number of inhabitants, which distorts the data”.

“We believe that with new technology we can do more in preventing and investigating crimes and with greater reliability,” he stressed. The commander of the GNR detachment in Albufeira also added that, “in a second phase, the monitoring area may be extended to other areas of the municipality”.

Loulé Man Accused of Sexually Abusing his Partner’s Niece

A 46-year-old man has been charged with multiple crimes of sexual abuse of a child and a dependent minor by the Public Prosecutor of the Department of Investigation and Criminal Action of Loulé, it has been announced.

The Regional Attorney General’s Office of Évora announced this Monday, in a statement, that the indictment in this case was made on January 12, with the facts having occurred between 2019 and 2021 in a residence located in the municipality of Loulé.

According to the prosecution, the defendant had sexual relations with a minor, who was 13 years old at the time the incident began and who was his partner’s niece.

“Every Saturday the victim slept on a sofa in the living room, at which time the defendant, taking advantage of his partner’s sleep, carried out his libidinous designs”, reports the note from the Regional Attorney General’s Office of Évora.

The investigation began with the participation of the Child and Youth Protection Commission and was led by the Judicial Police, he concludes.

Body of Woman Recovered From Vila do Bispo Cliffs 

The body of the 34-year-old woman, of Ukrainian nationality, who fell from a cliff late Saturday afternoon (18th), next to the Torre de Aspa, in the municipality of Vila do Bispo, was rescued on Sunday afternoon (19th), the National Maritime Authority (AMN) announced. Following the rescue operations, coordinated by the Port Captain and local commander of the Lagos Maritime Police , elements of the Lagos Maritime Police Local Command were involved, as well as the wide-angle team of the Vila do Bispo Volunteer Firefighters and an aircraft from the Portuguese Air Force (FAP), supported by a Civil Protection drone, according to a press release from AMN.

After several attempts by air, using the FAP aircraft, members of the firefighters’ wide-angle team proceeded to rescue the victim.

“The Health delegate declared the death at the scene and, after contacting the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the body was transported by firefighters to the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Portimão”, he details.

The Maritime Police and INEM Psychology Offices were activated and are providing support to the victim’s family. The local command of the Lagos Maritime Police took charge of the incident.

Counterfeit Goods Seized in 2 Raids by GNR in Monte Gordo and Fuseta

The GNR seized around 100 articles and identified two men on suspicion of counterfeiting, on Sunday (12th), in Monte Gordo, in the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António, announced that security force. Among the items seized were clothing , toys and backpacks, which were on display for sale in a commercial establishment in the seaside resort of the eastern Algarve, the GNR said in a statement.

The men identified were 43 and 48 years old and the facts were reported to the Vila Real de Santo António Judicial Court, concluded the security force. In another raid in Fuseta,  the GNR has named a man as a defendant for counterfeiting and seized counterfeit material during an inspection carried out in the town of Fuseta, in the municipality of Olhão, the police force announced.

According to the GNR, a 35-year-old man was charged with counterfeiting and counterfeit material was seized, clarifying that the inspection in question aimed to combat counterfeiting, the illegal use of brands and the sale of counterfeit items. Among the seized material, detected on a stall where various products were displayed for sale, articles of “well-known brands, which showed signs of counterfeiting” were found, explained the GNR, quantifying “100 counterfeit articles, namely, clothing and sports footwear”.

The GNR also stated that the man was named as a defendant and the facts were reported to the Olhão Judicial Court.

Maritime Police seize 360 ​​kilos of drugs on the Algarve coast

On the 10th, the Portimão Maritime Police seized 360 kilos of hashish on the Algarve coast, after detecting the narcotic product at sea, the National Maritime Authority ( AMN ) announced. “A total of 360 kg of hashish were seized by members of the Local Command of the Portimão Maritime Police, who took charge of the incident, and were later handed over to the Judicial Police (PJ),” explained that police force in a statement.

The Local Command of the Portimão Maritime Police detected the narcotic product following daily surveillance and patrol actions along the coastline, in its area of ​​jurisdiction, AMN also detailed.

On the 9th, the AMN had announced the seizure, throughout the week, in the areas under the jurisdiction of the local commands of Faro and Portimão, of 201 kilos of hashish, on the sand of the beaches and in the sea.

In another statement released, AMN said that the local command of the Lagos Maritime Police intercepted and seized on Thursday a High Speed ​​Vessel (EAV) that was adrift approximately 5.5 nautical miles (approximately 10.2 kilometers) southwest of Ponta da Piedade, in the municipality of Lagos .

The alert was given by a fisherman, regarding a drifting vessel. At the scene, the “Maritime Police officers found that there were no crew members on board nor any narcotics”, and the Maritime Police “accompanied the EAV to a location on land”.

Finally! New Bridge is Inaugurated after 17 Years of Waiting!

Seventeen years after it was first announced, the new two-lane bridge to Faro Island was finally inaugurated on Sunday (January 12).

Marking a new era for the local island community, the bridge’s inauguration was attended by Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, who presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside outgoing Faro mayor Rogério Bacalhau.

The new bridge is seen as a vital upgrade for Faro Island (known in Portuguese as Praia de Faro or Ilha de Faro), previously served by a single one-lane bridge which would often bring traffic in and out of the island to a standstill – particularly during the summer.

“Today is a very happy day,” declared Rogério Bacalhau at the ceremony, celebrating the end of a nearly two-decade project which suffered countless setbacks over the years. “This is an emblematic project for our municipality,” he said, adding that the local community, particularly the people of Faro Island, had been patiently waiting for its completion for a long time.

The project’s journey began in 2008 under the auspices of Sociedade Polis Ria Formosa, aiming to replace the aging bridge, which was originally built seven decades ago.

However, the project hit a major roadblock when the first two tender processes to award the construction contract failed. In 2017, the initial tender, with a base value of less than €3 million, did not attract any bidders. Success only came with the third tender, but by then, the cost had significantly increased. Initially set at around €5 million, the contract’s value rose to €6.5 million after an early revision. Subsequent adjustments to meet environmental requirements and adapt the structure further escalated the cost to over €8 million. These revisions addressed the complex environmental conditions of the Ria Formosa estuary and ensured compliance with safety and sustainability standards, the mayor explained.

The project’s management also shifted following the dissolution of Sociedade Polis Ria Formosa, which saw the responsibility for the bridge’s completion transferred to the municipal council of Faro.

The final cost of the bridge was highlighted by Rogério Bacalhau, who described it as a “particularly impressive sum,” especially considering the council’s delicate financial situation up until a few years ago. “This was a very complex project, surely the most complex carried out this century in the Algarve,” the mayor said, stressing how it was built in the protected estuary of Ria Formosa, which he said is “surely one of, if not the biggest treasure we have in our territory.”

The new bridge, spanning 180 meters and nearly 11 metres wide, features two lanes for vehicular traffic, a pedestrian path, and a combined pedestrian-cyclist lane. While it will significantly improve the flow of traffic in and out of the island, the new bridge will also allow heavy emergency vehicles to access the island, which was previously impossible as heavy vehicles weren’t allowed on the old bridge. The new pedestrian-cyclist lane will also make access to the island “much safer” for the “growing number of people who choose to visit the island on foot or on a bicycle”, Bacalhau stated.

Despite some unfinished details, like the installation of LED lighting that is still underway, the new bridge opened immediately to traffic after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Until the next time Stay Safe