Portugal Situation and Security Report Wednesday 22^nd March 2023

Although in many areas of the mainland it has been a fairly wet winter, with most reservoirs near full, with the exception of the Algarve, the weather ahead as far as the supply of water is not so optimistic.

According to a report released on Monday by the European Commission, because of an “exceptionally dry and warm winter, soil moisture and river flow already show significant anomalies” in countries such as France, Spain and Italy. Portugal was wetter but is also mentioned in the report.

The European Commission warned today of the possibility of an even drier summer than in previous years in Mediterranean countries and that “precipitation in the coming weeks will be crucial”.

The most negative and also most likely prediction is that “Europe and the Mediterranean region could experience an extreme summer this year, similar to 2022.” The Commission also warned that “most countries in the south and west of the European Union”, including Portugal, “are affected by an incipient drought where concerns about water supply, agriculture and energy production are growing.

An impact arising from this is the high risk of rural fires. Last year over 80% of these were in the north, owing to the heatwave in June/July which greatly affected the north and central regions. Although as mention the water in reservoirs is higher than at this time last year, it is important to look ahead and conserve water where we can. One way is to reduce watering in the garden by using plants that require far less water, such as succulents and cacti. If you are attending the Mediterranean Spring Gardening Fair in Silves this weekend there will be a workshop on this subject. Entrance to the fair is free. The second way is to ensure the cleaning of land which needs to be completed by 30^th April. Please see the news article following this introduction.

Safe Communities Portugal will be at the fair as usual and on this occasion we will be joined by the GNR SEPNA unit from Silves. Our stand no 32 will focus will be on land cleaning, fire safe gardens, safe wells, disaster risk awareness, rural fire prevention and protection, crime prevention, dealing weather extremes and more. The Nature and Environmental Protection Service (SEPNA), is constituted as an environmental police, competent to monitor, supervise, report and investigate all violations of legislation aimed at protecting nature, the environment and natural heritage, throughout the national territory. They will be able to answer your questions on many different topics.

Remember to Mark Your Calendars for This Weekend Time Change…Spring Forward.

The country will advance the clock by one hour in the early hours of this Sunday. At 1 a.m. on March 26, in mainland Portugal and in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, the clock should be brought forward to 2 a.m., starting daylight saving time. In the Azores, the change will be made at 12 a.m., when the clocks should change to 1 a.m.

Portugal’s Tax Authority (AT) warned, this Monday 20th March, of the circulation of a fraudulent message, through which taxpayers are asked to access a link to send their income tax return, and are then sent to malicious pages. “AT is aware that some taxpayers are receiving e-mails, supposedly coming from AT, referring to a possible missing declaration of income, in which they are asked to click on a ‘link'”, he indicated, in a statement.

The Tax Authorities stressed that these messages are false and therefore should be ignored. There are many such false emails around at present particularly the tax authority, CTT and EDP. Also be cautious if they are asking you to click on a link in order to pay money. Almost certainly these are phishing attacks – so simply delete. If you have however you have paid a fraudster then this should be reported to police.

News

Government warns that fire risk increased by about 40% compared to 2022

Leiria, 21 Mar 2023 (Lusa) – The risk of fire in Portugal today is about 40% higher compared to 2022, said the Minister of Internal Administration, after a meeting with the GNR, in Monte Redondo, in the municipality of Leiria.

“Today we were able to hear from the GNR, which has a database that allows comparing various indicators, that in light of the indicators known today, the risk increases by about 40% compared to 2022 said José Luís Carneiro.

The Minister of Internal Administration was at the GNR post in Monte Redondo, where he received briefings from the military on the state of the national territory at the time when the Safe Forest Campaign is taking place, which aims to identify the owners of land that need cleaning, to prevent rural fires.

José Luís Carneiro then saw the work of the GNR in identifying land in default, having tried out the system used by the military.

“The GNR is currently on the ground across the country to raise awareness among local authorities and owners of the need to carry out the cleaning provided for in the law regarding the safety of buildings”, namely, “all areas surrounding the dwellings that must be subject to cleaning,” he said.

The assistant sergeant of the Emergency Protection and Relief Unit (UEPS), Rui Teixeira, explained that on the platform that the GNR has, it is possible to verify the critical places “that give incidence of rural fires from 2020 until now”.

“We are more severely affected in the north of the country – Viana do Castelo and inland Porto. We have more ignitions in Montalegre and Vila Real, which is already historic at this stage of the year”, he specified.

“It would be fundamental for the country to guarantee the resilience of population centers through the execution of the secondary network, since 85% of the occurrences, out of 10,958 in 2022, occurred within 500 meters of infrastructure, whether occupied by people or a business environment”, explained the military.

The minister underlined, therefore, the importance of investing in prevention and raising everyone’s awareness of the cleanliness of the grounds.

“In the summer, when we are faced with fires, we all have the feeling that resources are always limited for the country’s needs as a whole. The GNR went ahead with the awareness campaign in February across the country, a very valuable job, which has allowed for greater knowledge and greater ability to foresee risks. This is a collective duty” he insisted.

José Luís Carneiro recalled that, “in 2022, the European Union had more than 60% of rural and forest fires”.

The official explained: “in 2022 we had 47C degrees, humidity below 10% and winds above 60 kilometres per hour, which means that the risk of fire has increased exponentially”.

“This is everyone’s effort. From the central administration, from the Government, from the municipalities, from the owners and from each one of us. It is for this purpose and for this awareness that I am meeting with the GNR today. It is important that everyone fulfill their mission. It is not enough, when we are faced with fires, to ask the Minister of Internal Administration for an account. It is very important that everyone contributes to a safer country”, he reinforced.

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 15^th March 2023

 

Good morning – As anyone in business will know, understanding risk and mitigating risk is essential for the economic livelihood of the business. The same goes in understanding the risk of the occurrence and impact of natural disasters, such as rural fires and earthquakes for example – except the stakes are much higher, i.e. the risk of damage to your home, personal injury to you and your family and even worse!

At Safe Communities we spend considerable time identifying risks that can result in rural fires. Last year for instance just prior to the Gambelas fire in Faro, the weather conditions were extreme in the Algarve with the Fire Hazard (FWI) indicating critical levels above that of the fires of 2017, a point we made on our Facebook posts two days beforehand!

If more people had understood the risk would your activities and actions to prepare for possible fires have changed? Would you have done anything different on those days in reducing the risk of a fire reaching your home – last minute land cleaning, checking the gutters, moving the wood store further away from the house for instance, or oblivious to the risk have spent the time with a round of golf instead? It is a sobering thought!

Over the next few months I can assure you that risk awareness and risk communication will become one of the most common terms regarding preparedness for rural fires.   We will try to explain risk in an understandable way and count on your support in getting such key messages across. It is essential that such information is shared, people are prepared and adopt self-protection measures.

Risk does not only concern rural fires, but earthquakes and tsunamis and other disasters that may occur. As we have said before we cannot prevent catastrophes, such as earthquakes but we can reduce the effects, because we knew the risks and took the appropriation action beforehand and during the event itself.

A few days ago the GNR Gouveia, identified a 43-year-old man for the crime of forest fire, in the municipality of Seia.

Following a report the GNR went to the scene, having found out that the fire originated from an unauthorized burn, where the suspect, when trying to clear the area of bushes, did not adapt the necessary security measures, resulting in the fire burning an area of undergrowth and pine forest of approximately 0.08 ha, putting the surrounding forest area at risk. This case has been referred to the courts.

This again illustrates the importance of registering the fire in the case of the burning of cut and piled waste or as in this case seeking authorisation to undertake and extensive burn. Even one registered/authorised it is important to follow the safety precautions. If you do not then you can expect to be prosecuted.

A reminder that the cleaning of land to 50 metres surround your property (the main building) not the perimeter, for those living in rural areas need to be completed by 30^th April 2023. If you have neighbouring land that is overgrown within 50 metres of your property then this needs to be cleaned by the owner of that land. If the neighbour cannot be located, or refuses to clean then this should be reported.

Our team at Safe Communities wishes you a safe week ahead.

News

Illegal unloading of livestock effluent by livestock farmers

The GNR, through the Leiria Territorial Command, detected an illegal discharging of effluent by livestock farmers, on March 9, in the town of Ortigosa, Leiria municipality

Through a report, SEPNA elements detected a discharge of livestock effluent into the soil without any sort of treatment, coming from a livestock farm, using a submersible pump,

Due to the prompt intervention of the GNR, the effluent discharged did not reach the adjacent water lines, since, upon arrival at the site, the infraction was ceased after the power supply to the submersible pump had been disconnected.

This action resulted in the identification of livestock exploitation. A contra-ordination process was opened and the case handed over to the Portuguese Environment Agency, punishable with a fine of up to 144 thousand euros.

The Republican National Guard, through the Nature and Environmental Protection Service (SEPNA), has environmental and animal protection as a daily concern. To this end, the SOS Environment and Territorial Line (808 200 520) can be used permanently for reporting violations or clearing up questions.

 

Crackdown on criminal network that produced and distributed methamphetamine in Europe

With the support of Eurojust and Europol, judicial and law enforcement authorities in the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Slovakia have taken down an organised crime group (OCG) responsible for the production and distribution of at least 4.7 tonnes of methamphetamine in Europe. During a joint action, 16 suspects were arrested and over 3.3 million tablets containing raw material for the production of the drug were seized.

According to the investigation, the perpetrators used a Romanian company to purchase the precursors (raw materials) and incorporate them into two pharmaceutical products, 50 and 120 milligram tablets of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. They used a formula that allowed them to quickly extract these precursors afterwards for the production of methamphetamine in clandestine laboratories. One of the suspects was partner and director of this company.

The tablets produced in Romania were shipped to companies in several European countries that purchased them without having a marketing authorisation in those countries. The tablets did not reach their declared destination, but were sent to various locations in Poland. From there, the shipments were split into smaller quantities and delivered to the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where they were distributed to clandestine laboratories.

Using the ‘Czech method’ of producing methamphetamine in clandestine laboratories, approximately 0.70 kg of methamphetamine was obtained from one kilogram of ephedrine/pseudoephedrine hydrochloride.

Between January 2021 and February 2023, the members of the criminal group allegedly organised the transport and delivery of 168,788,870 tablets containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (approximately 6.7 tonnes of ephedrine hydrochloride), from which a total quantity of at least 4.7 tonnes of methamphetamine could be produced.

COMMENT

The number of people using methamphetamine in Europe is considerable and one hopes that this will have some impact. Excellent work and collaboration by all the security forces involved.

 

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 8^th March 2023

 

Good morning – If you think that the number of on-line scams are increasing you are probably right.

Certainly in the last two weeks we have seen a variety of phishing email as well as those sent through SMNS known as “smishing”. This have been sent by fraudsters falsely using the names of many well-known companies and government entities such as: EDP, CTT, the Finances (AT), the Judicial Police, PSF and evening Europol and Interpol. These are the common ones but there are some less common.

Some of these are quite alarming accusing the receiver of the email of watching on-line child pornography or that the person owes a debt of some nature. If you do receive these the first thing is not to panic and pay-up. Why? Because the sending has no evidence of any alleged wrong-doing and it is simply a scam, some computer generated at random.

There is no way that Interpol and Europol are going to contact you directly asking you to pay a fine and the police here in Portugal do not send emails in this way.   If you do receive any of these or something similar it is important not to click on any links or reply. The senders address normally gives this away but some can be very similar to the original. Delete the email and block the sender.

In the case of claimed outstanding debts allegedly from EDP for example, then simply check directly with the company but not using and contact details shown in the message that you receive. These emails can be forwarded in some instances using the contact details of the security departments of the entities concerned. If you have paid, however, and then believe this was a fraud then do report this to police, as not only have you lost money but have probably give the fraudster personal banking information, which they can use to access your bank account in future.

Last night the ANEPC issued a notification to the population concerning heavy rain, winds and rough seas. Safety advice was issued and I would highlight the following: Take special care when travelling and staying near wooded areas, being attentive to the possibility of falling branches and trees, due to stronger wind. Also take special care when driving along riverside areas that are historically more vulnerable to phenomena of overflow of watercourses, preventing the circulation and stay in these places

Adopt defensive driving, reducing speed and taking special care be careful with the possible formation of water on the roads. Do not cross flooded areas, in order to avoid falling into holes or your vehicle being trapped in open sewers. Last night there was dense fog in some parts of the Algarve and IPMA forecast is that this may be repeated again this evening. It is important to monitor weather conditions and warning.

Lastly today is International Women’s Day and we give our thanks to all of those working in the security forces, health services and others providing emergency services on this day.

Have a safe week ahead. From our team at Safe Communities

News

Government recognizes that there is an aging fire engine fleet

Odivelas, Lisbon, 07 March 2023 (Lusa) – The Secretary of State for Civil Protection recognized today that, in many fire brigades in the country, there is an aging vehicle fleet, considering that “greater predictability” is needed in the replacement of older vehicles.

Within the scope of the initiative “Preparing the summer in the winter”, the Government has been meeting with representatives of humanitarian associations and commanders of fire brigades of the 24 Portuguese Intermunicipal communities, in order to clarify existing issues.

After the last meeting, held today in Odivelas, with commanders from the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, Patrícia Gaspar told Lusa that the re-equipment of firefighters, with regard to the fleet of vehicles, was one of the main concerns demonstrated throughout the country.

“In many parts of the country we have an aging vehicle fleet. (…) It is essential to guarantee their replacement”, recognizes the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, without going into detail on these points.

In the last 20 years, the acquisition of “heavier fire-fighting equipment” has been done mainly through community funds, but also with the support of local authorities, explains the official, but Patrícia Gaspar wants to guarantee “greater predictability” in the renovation of the fire department car park.

“What we have to understand from now on is what will be the best instrument, the best way to guarantee greater predictability (…) for fire departments of when and how they will be able to replace older vehicles and acquire new ones”, points out the Secretary of State.

Even so, it underlines the investment in the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) planned for the acquisition of 82 forestry vehicles, destined for 81 fire departments.

Among the issues raised by firefighters in meetings with Internal Administration leaders were the career of the profession and also the permanent financing of corporations.

On this last point, Patrícia Gaspar explains that there is, on the part of the associations, the demand for a “greater increase, especially in the difficult phase we are living in”, given the increase in the cost of living and inflation.

“We believe that over the next year we will be able to stabilize this situation and the guarantee we left is that we will always be on the side of the fire departments”, he says, also admitting the possibility of additional measures to the permanent funding, which this year is budgeted by 31.7 million euros (2 million more than in 2022).

 

Doctors start two-day strike

This Wednesday, doctors start a two-day strike to demand that their careers and salary tables be valued, at a time when unions and the government are in negotiations, but still without an agreement after several inconclusive meetings.

This strike was called by the unions that make up the National Federation of Doctors (FNAM), which also scheduled a rally next to the Ministry of Health, in Lisbon, for this Wednesday, but does not have the support of the Independent Doctors Union (SIM), who distanced himself from the protest, claiming that it is not justified while negotiations with the Government are ongoing.

Among the demands of FNAM is the renegotiation of the medical career and the respective salary scale, which includes a base schedule of 35 hours, optional and increased exclusive dedication and the consideration of the medical internship as the first degree of the career.

The union structure also intends to revise the norms for the organization and discipline of medical work, the replacement of the 25 working days of vacation per year and the additional five days, when they are taken outside the high season, as well as the reduction of the normal working time in the emergency service from 6 pm to 12 pm.

This strike was announced at a time when negotiations are taking place with the Government, with the FNAM claiming that the stoppage is a response “to the lack of commitment, on the part of the Ministry of Health, to negotiate salary scales and the lack of measures to save the SNS”.

 

 

Portugal Safety and Security report Wednesday 1^st March 2023

Good morning – Today is International Civil Protection Day. Normally the annual event is held in Lisbon but this year, the national celebrations of the International Civil Protection Day will be decentralized and will take place in the Algarve.

The respective Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command (CREPC) has programmed, in partnership with the Civil Protection Services and Agents of the region, a pioneering set of initiatives to mark the event, whose climax will take place this Wednesday, March 1^st. There will be a number of events celebrating this important day and we will post photos on our Facebook page.

Today is the first day of Meteorological Spring following the end of the Meteorological Winter yesterday. However although it has been relatively warm in the Algarve during the day, the yellow low minimum temperature warning remains in place until at least tomorrow in all districts of the mainland, except Faro District (Algarve).

The cold weather along with higher relative humidity levels overnight especially in the centre and north have mean that the rural fire risk has so far this year remained relatively low, increasing to moderate, with one or two municipalities at high risk on a few occasions. The number of fire so far this year stands at 1071 with 4254 hectares burned, far lower than the xx fires at the start of 2022.

It you are planning a trip to the Azores and are after good weather, then you need to study the weather patterns and warnings as closely as possible. Weather can change quickly and forecasts of more than a few days are often changed. At present depression KAMIEL is affecting the Azores, with a significant increase in wind intensity, with gusts that could reach 130 km/h in the Western Group (Flores and Corvo) and 100 km/h in the Central Group (Pico, Faial, S. Jorge, Graciosa and Terceira). Associated with it, there should be precipitation, sometimes heavy, which may be accompanied by thunderstorms, more frequent on the islands of the Central and Eastern Groups. This is not unusual for this time of the year.

If you are in the Azores the civil protection have advised to avid coastlines as waves could reach a maximum of 18 metres! Yellow and orange warnings in place central and western group respectively. Monitor here:

 https://www.ipma.pt/pt/otempo/prev-sam/?p=coastalevent

A further reminder that land cleaning for those living in rural areas must be completed by 30^th April 2023. The GNR have started patrols a week ago to check for compliance and at this stage advice will be given. Later this will be in the form of warnings and if cleaning work is not completed by 30^th then the property owner may be fined. If you own property but this is unoccupied or rented out then this work must still be undertaken.

The 50 metres to be cleaned (not cleared completely) is measured from the building itself not the perimeter wall. This means if there is neighbouring land that is overgrown closer to your property than 50 metres it is the responsibility of the owner to clean it. This is one reason why good neighbourly relationships are important especially is small villages where your neighbour may have many relatives in the, if you are concerned that the neighbour is not cleaning the land and this poses a fire risk try and speak with the neighbour so the land is cleaned, which is in the interests of the neighbour concerned, to avoid enforcement action being taken by the GNR.

The main priorities as far as cleaning are concerned is in the high priority areas, but everyone in rural areas should comply.

We wish you a safe week ahead and enjoy the Spring time when it arrives!

News

Request for legal aid can now be made directly at Social Security Direct

Lisbon, Feb 28, 2023 (Lusa) – Legal aid can now be requested directly on the Social Security Direct page, with a response estimated in a few days, which is a “digital revolution” for the Minister of Labour and a “step giant” for the Minister of Justice.

The new service was presented today, at the headquarters of the Social Security Institute, in Lisbon, and is the result of work between various bodies belonging to the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security and the Ministry of Justice.

According to the data presented, the Social Security receives an average of 140 thousand new requests for legal aid every year, something that had to be done in person and with the delivery of various documents on paper.

It was calculated that 3 million sheets of A4 format were delivered annually, directly causing the felling of 136 trees every year.

This service required, on average, a response time of 60 days, that is, two months.

Speaking to journalists, the Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security assured that the objective “is that this becomes very quick, since the information is all in the system itself, articulated between the various bodies”.

“Our expectation is that the response will be very quick. Implementation begins now, we will monitor it, but make it much faster”, said Ana Mendes Godinho, without committing to any concrete deadline.

Earlier, in her speech, the minister highlighted the new service as demonstrating the “implementation of the values ​​of April” and how “there are no insurmountable barriers”.

“In a year when we are starting to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April, we are also with this symbolic process of transformation making a digital revolution, the digital revolution at the service of citizens and at the service of being a more inclusive society that it has the ability to tear down walls that cannot exist”, defended Ana Mendes Godinho.

The Minister of Justice, on the other hand, highlighted that the new service “is a giant step” towards digitally finding all available information, whether on household, income or assets, “and thus being able to determine whether that citizen whether or not you have the right to a lawyer”, pointed out Catarina Sarmento e Castro, who underlined that “there is no justice if it is not for everyone”.

The minister stressed that in 2022, 132.6 million euros were spent on legal aid, which represents an increase of 50% in the last ten years.

The Minister of Justice explained that legal aid is for those who do not have the financial means to pay for themselves, and can translate into the right to a lawyer, but also expertise from the National Institute of Legal Medicine, translation or interpretation services or mediation and arbitration.

Instead of being in person and on paper, this request is now available on the Direct Social Security page, which, in the opinion of the Minister of Justice, will also result in a faster functioning of Justice.

Minister Ana Mendes Godinho also pointed out that in seven years, access to the Direct Social Security page went from 16 million uses in 2015 to 134 million in 2022.

17 countries including Portugal join forces to prevent chemical terrorism on European soil.

Lisbon, Feb 27, 2023 (Lusa) – The PSP participated in an international counterterrorism operation promoted by Europol, in which 120 contents were identified, in five languages, from terrorism support networks, including jihadists with diverse tendencies and affiliations, was announced today.

The PSP said in a statement that the data obtained in the international operation, centred on tracking the circulation of information on high-risk chemicals, led to the triggering of protocols with providers of ‘online’ services to ensure the rapid removal of this content and the initiation of a research on their origin.

The conclusions of the operation, carried out on February 21 and involving 17 countries, will contribute, according to the PSP, “to the analysis of the current situation of threats from high-risk chemical products, which is part of the impact assessment carried out by the European Commission”.

The operation set the objective of restricting access to ‘online’ instructions/information on how to use high-risk chemicals in terrorist attacks.

The PSP explains that, through the Departments of Weapons and Explosives (DAE) and Criminal Investigation/Cybercrime Nucleus and the Special Police Unit/Centre for Inactivation of Explosive Devices and Underground Security, a “systematic analysis of the “clear ” and “dark web” (the so-called ‘clear web’ is the Internet for public and general use, while the ‘dark web’ is the part of the Internet that works based on the anonymity of users and the concealment of communication channels, being used for clandestine or illicit purposes) to identify and promote the removal of content about the use of high-risk chemical products and toxic gases resulting from their use, contained both on ‘sites’ and ‘online’ forums”.

Portugal’s participation in this operation was ensured by the PSP as a national authority with specific attributions in licensing, control and supervision of the manufacture, storage, marketing, use and transport of weapons, ammunition and explosive and similar substances (which do not belong or are intended for the Armed Forces). Armed Forces and other security forces and services), the police force also informed.

Participating countries were: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia, Czechia, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Moldova, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Spain, the United Kingdom