Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 8^th February 2023

 

As we monitor the tragic events in Turkey and Syria, it should remind us that Portugal is also at risk of earthquakes having experienced those with even higher magnitudes in the past, which resulted in widespread devastation. This feature looks at what is fast becoming a humanitarian crisis as the international community responds to the events in the two countries concerned, and importance of seismic risk awareness closer to home.

Being aware, being prepared could help save your life should a major earthquake occur – wherever you are!

News in the last three days has been dominated by the tragic events in Turkey and Syria with two major earthquakes within 9 hours and 80 kilometres apart – in addition to which there have been around 300 aftershocks, 100+ of which have exceeded 4 Magnitude.

Aftershocks, freezing temperatures and damaged roads are hampering efforts to reach and rescue those affected by Monday’s earthquake in southern Turkey and northern Syria, which has killed more than 11,200 people and destroyed thousands of buildings. Another 37,000 are reported injured in Turkey alone (Updated 0730 hrs)

As the scale of the devastation from the two major earthquakes continues to unfold, the World Health Organization warned that the number of fatalities could exceed 20,000.

As we monitor the national response and relief effort in the two countries concerned, we become more aware of the considerable challenges the rescuers and relief workers face. In Turkey the details of the response, deployment of resources and equipment are relatively clear, with regular reports from the country’s Civil Protection force; reporting this morning for instance that some 79,000 workers are engaged in the rescue effort. Despite this, there is growing anger from many affected, expressed through media interviews that their government have been slow to respond.

Time is of the essence, but this must be viewed in the context that the devastation is huge over a wide area, severely hampering the capacity of local and national authorities to effectively respond to a catastrophe of this scale – as it would be the case in many countries. This situation is also exacerbated by poor weather conditions, which together with roads and bridges destroyed by the earthquake, will impact in response times.

The situation in Syria is also hampered by the fact it is an impoverished nation with a long standing civil war, which has already cost countless lives and damaged infrastructure. There are between three and four million Syrian refugees in southeast Turkey – and more now spilling into the country.

Syria was accused of playing politics with aid after the Syrian ambassador to the UN, Bassam Sabbagh, said his country should be responsible for the delivery of all aid into Syria, including those areas not under Syrian government control. The dispute over the control of the aid is hampering efforts into northern Syria, which is held by rebel groups. The government in Damascus allows aid to enter the region through only one border crossing. This is no time for politics whilst many thousands are people are displaced and trapped in collapsed buildings.

However, the international community has been quick to respond, with humanitarian aid, rescue personnel and specialist equipment being pledged, or already deployed, by countries from as far afield as New Zealand, Australia, China, UK and even Ukraine which is facing a catastrophe of its own resulting from the Russian invasion. Portugal as part of the EU response mechanism is deploying 53 operatives co-ordinated by the ANEPC. Once it arrives its will need a massive coordination effort in the face of many challenges, including political in Syria, to ensure that the resources, aid and equipment reach the most affected areas as quickly as possible. Time is of the essence, especially with sub-zero temperatures in parts of the areas affected.

Over a dozen EU member states have so far responded to Turkey’s call for assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.  Urban search and rescue teams are being mobilised from Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Romania with Hungary, Italy, Spain, Malta and Slovakia also offering their assistance.

This is an important mechanism and is the same as that used by Portugal for instance when there are a series of major fires when additional aircraft and operatives maybe required. The fact that there is an establish mechanism allows the quick processing of requests and more importantly rapid deployment.

These tragic events in Turkey and Syria should serve as a reminder that Portugal is at risk of earthquakes. While earthquakes are widespread throughout Europe, the most destructive events have historically occurred in the Mediterranean countries, particularly Greece, Italy, Turkey, and Portugal. Many damaging historical events have taken place in Portugal, which is a seismically active country located on the Eurasian plate, along its southern border with the African plate, north of the Azores-Gibraltar transform fault.

Portugal is characterized by moderate intraplate earthquakes, but offshore inter-plate faults may cause extremely damaging events as well. The Lower Tagus Valley (LTV) fault is an important fault zone located in the vicinity of Lisbon. Some of the most destructive earthquakes that have taken place in Portugal are associated with this zone.

The more critical source of concern is the Lower Tagus Valley region, which could produce a magnitude 6 to 7 earthquake with a return period as short as 150 to 200 years. This seismic source zone, with its proximity to Lisbon, the large number of old masonry buildings, and a fraction of reinforced concrete frames designed with limited lateral resistance, presents the most significant potential for large loss earthquakes in Portugal.

This why each year in November the Government holds the Seismic Risk Awareness Campaign, known as “A Terra Treme”, which in 2019 (prior to pandemic)  involved number over 750,000 students and adults including Safe Communities Portugal, to ensure that in the event of an earthquake everyone knows how to respond, namely “Drop Cover Hold”. We await the 2022 figures. https://www.aterratreme.pt/

We cannot prevent such natural disasters, but knowing the correct action to take, can certainly reduce the impact and save lives.  More about earthquakes here: https://www.safecommunitiesportugal.com/find-information/environment-and-weather/earthquake-tsunami/

Safe Communities Portugal is a qualified Civil Protection Volunteer Organisation under Portuguese law.

David Thomas – President Safe Communities Portugal

Other News:

Fertagus trains expect disruption of services on Thursday 9^th February due to IP rail strike

Fertagus – which operates the railway line that passes through the 25 de Abril Bridge, has announced that there will be restrictions on train services on Thursday 9th February between 00:00 and 24:00 hrs

The Fertagus rail service, which connects Setúbal and Lisbon, will experience “disruptions” on Thursday, due to the Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) strike, according to the operator.

In a note published on its website, Fertagus – which operates this railway line, passing over the 25 de Abril Bridge, upon payment of a user fee to IP – there will be a disruption of train services that day.

“Since minimum services have not been decreed by the CES – Economic and Social Council, we are unable to predict the times that will be possible to perform services”, says the company.

The carrier currently serves 14 stations, over a length of around 54 kilometres, and its service is responsible for close to 85,000 daily journeys.

The Federation of Transport and Communications Unions (Fectrans) announced, on the 25th of January, that the workers of CP – Comboios de Portugal and IP will be on strike on the 9th of February.

At issue, according to the unions, is the lack of response from the two companies to the salary enhancement propos

Cold and fireplaces cause high concentrations of polluting particles in the North – study

Lisbon, Feb 7, 2023 (Lusa) – Last week, the northern region of mainland Portugal registered high concentrations of pollutant particles due to cold weather, poor air dispersion conditions and the use of fireplaces, according to an assessment by the Universidade Nova de Lisboa released today. .

The analysis carried out by the Faculty of Science and Technology of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa/FCT NOVA, points to the need to “adopt measures of an exceptional nature (…) to reduce the risk of short-term exposure of the population to pollutants”.

Speaking to the Lusa agency, Francisco Ferreira, from the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at FCT NOVA, explained that particles “are pollutants with worse consequences for public health worldwide”.

“We are talking about seven million premature deaths per year, both in terms of indoor air quality and mainly outdoor air. [The particles] have a set of compounds that interfere with our respiratory and cardiovascular systems,” he pointed out.

According to Francisco Ferreira, the smaller the particles, the greater the consequences.

In the last week, “high concentrations of inhalable pollutant particles with levels above the legislated limit value (…), affecting mainly the northern region” of the country were recorded.

“The meteorological conditions observed since January 30, Monday, have contributed to the accumulation of atmospheric pollutants on the surface, causing a strong degradation of air quality”, in addition to “the greater use of fireplaces for domestic heating”, reads up in the study.

For the also president of the Zero environmentalist association, fireplaces “are problematic from the point of view of air quality itself”.

“This is a problem that we will only be able to overcome if we have more efficient housing and buildings, if we have programs and actions to raise awareness of heating systems using biomass, but with less impact”, he said.

“On very cold days, this excessive use of firewood is problematic, when we have meteorological conditions that aggravate the problem, without wind. (…) In the short term, we should make an appeal for people to avoid the intense use of fireplaces”, he added.

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report 1^st February 2023

Yesterday the organization Transparency International published the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) report for 2022. Portugal maintains the 2021 score of 62 and decreases one place from 32nd to 33^rd position, out of 180 countries.

Portugal remains below the average for the Western Europe and the European Union which has 66 points, but ahead of Spain which scored 60 and Italy 56.  According to the report the ‘gold’ visa program in Portugal “increased the risks of corruption” and “put pressure on the real estate market”, according to the report.  Portugal is criticized for postponing the abolition of that “controversial program”,

When I worked with INTERPOL we met with the Transparency International team as part of Interpol’s own anti-corruption strategy was conceived with nearly all Golden Visas being issued for property purchase with buyers from just one or two countries meant that there was a high risk of corruption and related crimes such as money laundering. The report is right in highlighting this in the case of Portugal.

Also yesterday the PSP reports that, in five years, it recorded 1,615 crimes of animal abandonment and 2,278 for situations of mistreatment, in a total of 4,402. While the GNR accounted for 5,330 crimes, 3,385 of which were for mistreatment of animals and 1,945 for abandonment. The GNR also reports that it issued 18,690 administrative offenses for this offense in the last five years.

The Public prosecutor’s office recently asked the Constitutional Court (TC) for a declaration of unconstitutionality of the norm that criminalizes with imprisonment those who, without legitimate reason, kill or mistreat pets because the TC has successively annulled these convictions, with the argument that they lack constitutional coverage.

This position of the TC is based on the principle that nothing in the Constitution provides for deprivation of liberty (in other words a prison sentence for the person convicted) with regard to the rights of animals. The TC should only pronounce its sentence on this matter in the coming months.

The British Embassy in Lisbon has contacted Safe Communities Portugal and other associations with an update on the issue of residence documentation for UK nationals and their family members under the Withdrawal Agreement (WA).

As you will all be aware, over the last few months the Portuguese administration has made significant progress in rolling out appointments so UK nationals, who are registered on SEF’s Brexit Portal, can obtain a biometric WA residence card. We understand the majority of those registered on the portal have now booked or attended an appointment. However, SEF have informed us that there are still some UK nationals who have not responded to the email invitations, or who have not attended on the day.

We are grateful for all you have already done to encourage people to take action (and to flag issues to us), and we would appreciate your ongoing assistance in trying to reach those who are yet to engage with the process. From what SEF tell us, appointment availability now appears to be very good across the country, and it is not too late for UK nationals to register on the portal if they haven’t done so already.

“Despite the progress made, we know there are some important outstanding issues still to be resolved, the main one being a process for family members to obtain a WA residence document. The good news is that last week SEF opened a process for family members who previously held an EU residence document – see their announcement from 23 January on Facebook here. Although SEF have confirmed that some UK nationals have already managed to add their family members to their account on the portal, we know others have had difficulty. SEF have also not yet published any guidance on the process. We continue to engage with SEF to encourage them to do so and to raise the issues being reported to us”.

With that have a safe week ahead.

News

Majority of informal caregivers need urgent psychological support

Data from a national survey reveal that 83.3% of informal caregivers felt in a state of ‘burnout’ and 77.9% recognized that they needed psychological support. Less than half of these seek and use this help

Most informal caregivers admit they have already felt in a state of emotional exhaustion and more than seven in ten need urgent psychological support, according to a study to be released on Tuesday.

Data from this national survey, which will be presented in Lisbon, reveal that 83.3% of the informal caregivers surveyed admit to having felt in a state of ‘burnout’ and that 77.9% recognize that they need psychological support, but less than half of these seeks and enjoys this help.

“The data tells us this: they need it, they want it and they have already tried to get psychological support”, psychologist Ana Carina Valente, responsible for the study and professor at ISPA – University Institute of Psychological, Social and Life Sciences, told Lusa, stressing that the results show that “there is psychological suffering in caregivers”.

The national survey, carried out by Merck, with the support of the Movimento Caring for Informal Caregivers, also shows that 78.5% consider that their mental health status influences the performance of their role as informal caregivers and about half say they are unable to laugh and see the positive side as before.

Although 77.9% recognize the need for psychological support, less than half of them seek and use this support: “The psychological support response in Portugal, for example, from the National Health Service, is not an effective response”, considers Ana Carina Valente.

Kamov helicopters await Ukraine’s “technical visit” to assess donation

The Ministry of Defence says that “the scheduling of a technical visit” by Ukrainian representatives is being articulated to assess the state and the sending of the six Portuguese Kamov helicopters (which are Russian built) – all inoperative, to the front of combat against Russia.

While the Government continues to study the possibilities of contributing with training or Leopard 2 tanks to the war effort in Ukraine , the six Portuguese Kamov helicopters, Russian-made and all inoperative, remain in Portugal.

The Portuguese offer was announced in October by the Minister of National Defence (MDN), Helena Carreiras, but the process regarding the aircraft has not yet been concluded. “A technical visit by representatives of the Ministry of Interior and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine is currently being articulated between the authorities of the two countries, after which the aircraft can be sent”, replied the office of the Minister of Defence to Express. 

Inflation drops to 8.3% in January

The year-on-year rate of change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell to 8.3% in January, compared to 9.6% in December, according to the flash estimate released today by the National Statistics Institute (INE).

According to INE, “based on the information already collected, the year-on-year rate of change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) will have decreased, for the third consecutive month, to 8.3% in January 2023, a lower rate in 1.3 percentage points (pp) to that observed in the previous month”.

As for the underlying inflation indicator (total index excluding unprocessed food products and energy) it registered a variation of 7.0% in January (7.3% in the previous month).

INE adds that the average change rate in the last 12 months was 8.2% (7.8% in the previous month).

The Portuguese Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) recorded a year-on-year change of 8.6% in the month under review (9.8% in the previous month).

Potholes in public roads have been worrying Lisbon residents for seven months

Holes have existed since July of last year and have not yet been covered, despite successive complaints from residents.

The holes in the public road in the parish of Alcântara, in Lisbon, concern the residents. The situation has lasted since July last year and has worsened with the rains of recent months.

The holes in the middle of Rua Pinto Ferreira pose a danger to anyone passing by, both in the pedestrian zone and in the car traffic area.

Residents have been complaining since last July and incidents have already been opened on the “Na Minha Rua” portal, an application of the Lisbon City Council where problems in public spaces can be reported, but most have been closed by the services.

Residents are concerned about the situation, which has been aggravated by the recent rains.

To SIC, the Lisbon City Council says that the problem is in a connection branch that will have been damaged, and that the objective is to move forward as quickly as possible to the work that allows to solve the situation.

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 25^th January 2023

Good Morning – We often here the term that Portugal has over 300 days of sunshine a year. That maybe in case at one or two places in the Algarve, but for the majority of the Portuguese mainland it usually somewhat less than this.

The weather generally seems to be less predictable over the longer term with overwhelming evidence from scientist pointing to a consequence of climate change.

We started this year having experienced several weeks of heavy rain with extensive flooding in various parts of the country particularly in Lisbon before Christmas and in Viana do Castelo District over the New Year. The rain was intense in several districts with extensive flooding, landslips, fallen trees and cars being washed away in strong currents.

The 1st January 2023 was notable in that it was the warmest January day on record for many countries in Europe. In Poland 19C, Denmark 12.6C, Czech Republic 19.6C, Netherlands 16.9C and here in Portugal 15C in the Alentejo, Portugal are some examples. However, just three weeks later we are experiencing a cold air mass with temperatures down to minus -6.6C in Braganza. Interestingly on the same day in 2022 IPMA recorded temperature of minus -6C to 3C in the north. January 2022 was in fact a cold month but by mid-February maximum air temperatures reached 26.3C in Zambujeira and with relative humidity levels as low as 17%.

In the first five weeks of 2022 there were over 1000 rural fires in Portugal of which more than 450 occurred from 28^thto 30^th January. Over 85% of these fires during that period were in the far north (where most of the rain has recently fallen), as a consequence of debris or land burning which was not authorised or was approved but was not properly controlled.

In January 2022 there were very low levels of relative humidity which, associated with the east winds and the absence of what is called “the nocturnal recovery” of humidity when the sun goes down, this lead to an increased fire hazard when there is a fire. In fact at the time of the above fires, the relative humidity levels were as low as 11% in the afternoon in this general area, a similar level one would experience in summer – compare this to the start of 2023 when RH levels of between 95 – 100% were the norm in the north.

Portugal is one of the European countries most affected in the last 40 years by extreme weather events in terms of premature deaths and economic losses, according to a recent report by the European Environment Agency.

These extreme events include meteorological events such as storms, hydrological events such as floods, or climatological events such as heat waves, cold waves and droughts, and in Portugal they also have a significant impact.

As can be seen in a matter of just two months (December 2022 and January 2023) we have experienced heavy rains, above average temperatures, followed by cold weather).

Extreme weather events are becoming more common and we have to be prepared. Disaster Risk Reduction and the work of government working with communities is becoming more important in risk awareness and being prepared. We cannot control major events such as heavy rain leading to floods or an earthquake leading to a tsunami, but we can make a difference in determining the level of impact.

Safe Communities Portugal’s role as part of DRR is to encourage behavioural changes in the population, to make communities aware of what procedures to take for certain risks; help through advice to prepare citizens for their role in an emergency; help prepare citizens for the importance of protecting their lives and those around them – family, neighbours and the community and promote specific actions for the most vulnerable communities, with the aim of developing and implementing measures that increase knowledge and/or reduce the risk of catastrophe.

Lastly a reminder to take care when driving in this very cold weather especially on roads that seldom see the sun during the winter. Even areas in the south of the mainland are experiencing sub-zero temperatures and there will most likely be frost/ice on road surfaces. Remember the surface of the road in such conditions is colder than the air temperature!

News

Number of victims of human trafficking falls in 2020 but pandemic may have distorted figures.

The biggest reduction in victims was recorded in North Africa and the Middle East, where the number of victims was 40% lower than in 2019

The number of victims of human trafficking decreased in 2020, for the first time in 20 years, the UN revealed this Tuesday, warning, however, that the real situation may have been covered up by the restrictions imposed as part of the covid-19 pandemic.

In the year under review, “there was an 11% reduction in the number of victims detected compared to 2019, especially in low- and middle-income countries”, says the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC, its acronym in English) in its annual report, released today.

The greatest reduction in victims was recorded in North Africa and the Middle East, where the number of victims was 40% lower than in 2019, followed by the Central America and Caribbean region, where the decrease was around 36%.

The reduction could have three possible explanations, advances the UNODC, pointing out, from the outset, that “the restrictions imposed during the pandemic limited opportunities, but also pushed trafficking towards less detectable ways of acting”.

On the other hand, the limits imposed by Governments around the world to contain and combat the contagion of the covid-19 infection have also restricted the authorities’ abilities to detect and identify criminals with links to human trafficking, so that the recorded evolution may not be entirely true, says the UN agency.

“This latest report shows how the pandemic has increased the vulnerabilities of human trafficking, further reducing the ability to rescue victims and bring perpetrators to justice,” underlines UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly, quoted in the organization’s analysis.

 

Good news – Tourism Revenue reached 22 billion euros in 2022, 21% higher than in 2019

Portimão, Faro 23 Jan 2023 (Lusa) – The Minister of Economy, António Costa Silva, revealed today that revenues from tourism reached 22 billion euros in 2022, surpassing by 20% the value recorded in 2019, in what was considered the best tourist year.

“Portugal ended the year 2022 with 22 billion euros, which is absolutely extraordinary because, in one year, we not only recovered what we did in 2019, but also surpassed the results by another 20%”, said the minister in Portimão, in the district from Faro.

Speaking at the closing session of the inauguration of the new School of Hospitality and Tourism (EHTP) in that Algarve municipality, the official recalled that tourism, “one of the engines of the development of the country’s economy, was highly plagued by the pandemic, almost paralyzed for two years”.

“There were many people who said that to recover the numbers of 2019 it would take three, four or five years, but we managed to recover during the last year”, he underlined.

António Costa Silva stated that for Portugal to “achieve one of the goals of being the most sustainable destination in the world, one of the highest quality ones, “it is necessary to work together, developing collaborative networks”.

“If we build these platforms, if we have clear intentions, we can transform the lives of our communities, create wealth and align the country, tune the country with the future”, he pointed out.

“We, at the Ministry of Economy, have a very clear vision about tourism: tourism is a tool to develop the country from north to south, including the autonomous regions [of Madeira and the Azores], because it is capillary”, he noted. .

In the same sense, he added, that tourism “is present throughout the national space and it is transversal, it mobilizes multiple sectors of the economy, from construction to transport, to a whole set of industries”.

The new building of the School of Hospitality and Tourism of Portimão is an investment of 2.3 million euros by Turismo de Portugal that will reinforce the training offer in the region.

The new facilities are the result of the renovation of the former prison facility in Portimão, with eight classrooms equipped with the latest technology, two individual kitchens, an auditorium with capacity for 140 people, a bar and an ‘application’ restaurant, which will be open to the public.

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 11^th January 2023

Good morning – With colder weather particularly in the north and centre of the country this is apt time to for a reminder of safety within the household in terms of fire prevention and carbon monoxide poisoning. It is an unfortunate fact that it is at night time when most deaths take place as we have seen from several fires that have taken place over the last 2-3 months.

ANEPC Have published a reminder regarding Carbon monoxide which is a toxic gas and dangerous, which results from deficient combustion, for example wood or coal, and can accumulate in confined spaces. Special vigilance is recommended at heights of intense cold, when appliances are most used and ventilation in the home tends to be lower.

Incorrectly installed, poorly maintained or poorly ventilated household appliances, such as cookers, heaters and central heating boilers, are the most common causes of accidental exposure to carbon monoxide. Blocked flues and chimneys can stop carbon monoxide escaping, allowing it to reach dangerous levels or burning fuel in an enclosed or unventilated space a faulty boiler in an enclosed kitchen. Leaking seals on wood burning stove doors are another risk so check these regularly.

Most of these deaths are preventable so a reminder to: avoid sleeping near heating equipment; properly protect the fireplace so that it does not cause a household fire; move away furniture and do not dry your clothes in heaters; before bed or leaving home make sure you have put out wood and charcoal fires or turned off heating equipment in order to avoid possible fires and avoid overload – do not connect too many devices in the same outlet, especially high consumption.

Yesterday the Portuguese Federation of Benevolent Blood Donors (FEPODABES) warns of the need for urgent mobilization of blood donors in order to avoid a lack of blood in hospitals. The president of FEPODABES, Alberto Mota, reports that “groups A-, B-, O+ and O- worry us, because they are already reaching levels of some concern”. Apparently the association has received reports of some hospitals that are already reducing their activity, due to the decrease in donation. We posted yesterday more details about giving blood in Portugal. If you wish and able to give blood please locate and contact your closest donation centre.

A reminder concerning the thefts of olives. Yesterday the GNR, through the military of the Beja Territorial Command, detained six men and three women, for olive theft, on January 8, in the council of Aljustrel. If you have a sizable number of olive trees on your land we advise that you keep a lookout for anyone acting suspiciously in the vicinity and if so inform the GNR.

A reminder that traffic on the 25 de Abril Bridge is being affected by restrictions which started on Tuesday 10th January lasting until the 20th of January, between 21:00 and 07:00, due to maintenance works, according to Lusoponte. According to a statement from the concessionaire of the bridge that connects Lisbon to Almada (District of Setúbal), work will be carried out over 10 days to repave the road surface. Work will take place every working day so if you are driving to Lisbon bear in mind there will be delays during these periods.

Our team at Safe Communities wishes you a safe and happy week ahead

News

Portugal hosts European seminar on lessons learned from rural fires of 2022.

The European Commission and the Ministry of Internal Administration, through Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil are holding a seminar today and tomorrow in Lisbon to share lessons learned in combating rural fires from the 2022 fire season analysis.

This initiative is carried out in Portugal on a proposal by the Minister of Internal Administration, José Luís Carneiro, presented in September 2022 at the Council of Interior of the European Union (EU), where he emphasized the importance of strengthening European ability to respond to the fires ravaging the continent in a way which is more frequent and intense.

The seminar, which is attended by representatives from more than 30 countries, has three main objectives focused on rural fires: Response, Preparation and Prevention

At the Response level, the lessons identified in various rural fire fighting operations under the European Civil Protection Mechanism in 2022 will be discussed.

In the Preparedness plan, they will review measures put into practice to better manage rural fire risks and reduce their impacts.

In the matter of Prevention, the steps to better anticipate the occurrence of rural fires at the national and European level, based on best practices and future planning will be discussed.

At the opening of the seminar on the “Program of Lessons Learned from the Rural Fire Season 2022 of the European Civil Protection Mechanism”, it was attended by the European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, Minister José Luís Carneiro and Min Swedish civil defence force Carl-Oskar Bohlin via video conference and while representing the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Then there is a panel in which the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection of Greece Christos Stylianides and (via video conference) the Interior Ministers of the Czech Republic Vít Rakušan of Spain, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, and General of France d Darmanin, Slovenian Defense Minister Marian Sarec, and the Minister of Civil Protection and Maritime Police of Italy, Nello Musumeci.

The seminar has the participation of the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, Patrícia Gaspar, the President of ANEPC, General Duarte da Costa, and the National Commander, André Fernandes.

Covid-19: outbreak in China should not have significant impact on Europe, says WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated today that the outbreak of cases of covid-19 in China will not have a significant impact on Europe because the variants that circulate there already exist on the European continent.

“The current rise in China is not expected to have a significant impact on the epidemiological situation of covid-19 in the European region,” said WHO regional director Hans Kluge at an online press conference. Kluge further urged European countries to take “proportionate and non-discriminatory” measures towards travellers from China.

Several countries, including Portugal, the United States, Japan, France and Germany, began to require negative tests for travellers from China and others advised against unnecessary trips to China. Last week, the European Union encouraged its member states to impose pre-flight screening in China, complementing the negative test with “random tests” upon arrival on European soil.

According to WHO, the 53 countries in the region that extends to Central Asia, thanks mainly to the high vaccination rate, are well protected to deal with covid.

“At the beginning of 2023, the region (…) really has a very good position. We have strong population protection, thanks in part to the waves of natural contagion that have occurred, but above all thanks to an excellent general adherence to vaccination” , said Catherine Smallwood, WHO Europe emergency manager. However, according to the organization, it is important to maintain a high level of vigilance.

“After three long years of the pandemic, when many countries are struggling with overstretched health systems, shortages of essential medicines and an exhausted health work force, we cannot afford to put more strain on our health systems,” Kluge emphasized.

“This threat could come from a worrying new variant, anywhere, anytime – including here in Europe and Central Asia. Based on lessons learned, we need to be able to anticipate, detect and react in time,” he added.

Mayor of Espinho detained by the Judicial Police

Porto, Jan 10, 2023 (Lusa) – The mayor of Espinho, Miguel Reis, was arrested today by the Judiciary Police (PJ), as part of an investigation into various economic crimes allegedly committed in the licensing of works, a source connected to Lusa told Lusa.

According to the same source, several businessmen were also arrested, some linked to the civil construction sector.

The operation was triggered during the morning of today and, at 12:30, it was still going on.

Miguel Reis was elected mayor of Espinho, Aveiro district, by the PS in the 2021 municipal elections, with 40.23% of the votes.

The architect has already been councilor in the chamber, member of the Parish Assembly of Anta, deputy in the Espinho Municipal Assembly, member of the PS District Assembly of Porto and of the national commission of the party.

Before taking office as mayor, Miguel Reis reconciled his political activity with teaching at the Professional School of Espinho, belonging to the Oliveira Martins group, and research in the areas of Governance of the Sea, Energy and Environment, New Ways of Living and Civil Protection.

He is currently president of the Espinho PS Council Political Commission, after being re-elected to the position in October 2022.

An official source from the chamber confirmed to Lusa, around 1 pm, that the searches were still ongoing.