Year: 2020

The Prime Minister revealed to Expresso the intention of “announcing the calendar and  program of progressive reduction in measures” at the Council of Ministers on April 30^th .

In an interview with the weekly Expresso, released today in full, António Costa states, that the economic recovery plan after the Covid-19 pandemic “must be based on a very strong investment programme”, highlighting areas such as railways and hospitals, and “an employment program that encourages using as much of the available labour as possible”, both in the area of ​​public and social employment.

“We had huge issues in the area of construction concerning lack of manpower, I believe it is a problem (which due to the unfortunate issues raised by the pandemic) that will no longer exist. We have the forest restructuring program, which required intensive labour, because we have the possibility of fires arising later in the year. We also need to fully reinforce the conditions of personal support, because the fragility of human resources of many social organisations has become evident “, he continued.

The prime minister reiterated that “the country does not need austerity”, but rather needs to relaunch the economy, but he refuses to give a definitive answer on how this can be achieved: “I have been working on this for many years and will not give today an answer that I cannot guarantee tomorrow”

On the reopening of businesses at the end of the next emergency period, which will remain in effect until May 2^nd  – the date chosen to prevent the long weekend of May 1^st  from being “another moment of risk” – the first-minister confirms that there will a further meeting April 28th between political representatives and the team of scientists working for the General Directorate of Health (DGS).

“What we are hoping is, in the Council of Ministers on April 30^th, to be able to announce the calendar and the program of progressive reduction of the current measures concerning the education system, along with commercial, catering and cultural activities “, he says.

Asked if there could still be some kind of re-opening in April, Costa did not discount this: “As soon as possible, we will take the first steps. We will not be delaying measures.”

As for the use of beaches this summer, the Prime Minister admits that there may be restrictions in place, particularly on those beaches which are known for large crowds.

“These large gatherings will not be permissable. Municipalities and councils will have to take the necessary measures so that the public can go to the beach but not in large numbers,” he said.

To Expresso, Costa reiterated the ‘re-opening’ script that he had drawn up in the Assembly of the Republic and which, with regards to the economy, will start with small commerce and, in the educational system, with daycare centres – explaining that this will not impact on the eventual restart of the 11th and 12th year classroom classes – and warns that in schools and public transport “the use of a community mask will be mandatory”.

The Prime Minister points to returning to work in June – most certainly implementing different working patterns in terms of hours per day and days per week – and, regarding cultural activities, he does not commit himself to a date for the holding of major festivals, or managing cinema outings”.

“In a cinema currently, seating is restricted, seats are all booked and they can only sell tickets in two rows, using every third seat”, he confirmed.

On the return of the football championships, Costa admits that it is possible to conclude them “behind closed doors or only with the restricted seats managed by the stadium”

Asked if the North region, where there are more cases of Covid-19, could have a later reduction in measures, he replies: “We would not like to make regional differences”.

The prime minister also rejects the possibility that people can be monitored electronically, admitting only that citizens can voluntarily download applications that serve to share “warnings among themselves and without intervention by authorities”.

António Costa stresses that all measures will be taken gradually and the resulting impact on the evolution of Covid-19 will be measured in order to “not run the risk of having to reverse the steps”, although this cannot be ruled out: “The first priority was to contain the pandemic without killing the economy. The new priority we have now is to revive the economy without allowing the pandemic to get out of control”.

At a political level, Costa highlights the “huge political and social consensus” that has existed in the country, disputing any disagreement with the President of the Republic regarding this latest decree on the state of emergency and gave a word of “recognition for the position” of the leader of the PSD, Rui Rio.

Regarding the European Council that takes place on April 23^rd, António Costa hopes that clear answers will be given to the global pandemic problem

“Are we going to have a recovery fund or not? What form will this fund take? Will it be integrated into the next multi-annual framework? Will it be financed by reinforcing transfers, by issuing EU debt, or by boosting resources by creating new rates? “, are all questions that need to be addressed.

 

The President of the Republic enacted this Friday the decree that regulates the extension of the state of emergency and two other Government diplomas with exceptional measures applied to the purchase of medical equipment and the tourism sector.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also promulgated two diplomas from the Assembly of the Republic, originating from Government law proposals, which establish exceptional and temporary regimes of budgetary and postal notification processes in the current Covid-19 pandemic situation.

This information is contained in two notes published on the website of the Presidency of the Republic on the Internet.

The three Government diplomas were approved by the Council of Ministers and the two from the Assembly of the Republic also went this Friday to the Palace of Belém and were promulgated on the same day.

Communiqué of the Council of Ministers of April 17, 2020

The Council of Ministers approved today, electronically, the decree that regulates the extension of the state of emergency decreed by the President of the Republic, making adjustments to the measures already approved and adopting other measures that are considered necessary, among which:

• The participation in activities related to the official celebrations of May 1st, only by observing the recommendations of the health authorities, namely in terms of social distance, and through coordination between the security forces and the social partners;
• The suspension of the mandatory publication in the Labour and Employment Bulletin of legislative acts to be approved by the Government under the terms of the labour legislation, promoting direct consultation of the social partners, through electronic means, with a deadline for pronouncement of 24 hours;
• The removal of the health cordon to the municipality of Ovar, by applying, however, special limitations in the municipality of Ovar, including specific duties of compliance with hygiene and safety rules by industrial, commercial and business services establishments authorized to operate and located in this municipality.

 

The Council of Ministers also approved a new set of extraordinary measures to respond to the epidemiological situation of the new Coronavirus – COVID-19, namely:

1. Decree-law that establishes exceptional and temporary measures seeking to respond to the constraints caused by the current pandemic in the tourism sector.

Following the measures already approved for this sector, the present diploma improves on the travel of finalists (students celebrating final year of study) and defines a specific regime directed at trips organized by travel and tourism agencies, the cancellation of reservations in tourist developments and accommodation establishments, and the relationship between travel and tourism agencies, tour operators and tourism enterprises and local accommodation establishments.

2. Decree-law that establishes an exceptional and temporary regime for the financial rebalancing of long-term contracts, namely public-private partnerships.

During the state of emergency, contractual clauses and legislative provisions that provide for the right to contractual rebalancing with any contract to which the State or another public entity is a party are suspended, including public-private partnerships.

Outside the period of the state of emergency, in contracts that expressly provide for the private contractor’s right to be compensated for breaks in use or the occurrence of a pandemic as a basis that could give rise to a claim to restore the financial balance, these can only be carried out by extending the term for the performance of the services or the term of the contract.

3. Decree-Law establishing exceptional and temporary measures related to the COVID-19 disease pandemic, namely:

– The extension of the reception period for victims of domestic violence, either in shelters or in emergency reception responses from the National Victim Support Network.

– The establishment, in addition to the exceptional contracting measures already approved, of an exceptional simplified regime of direct adjustment for the conclusion of contracts whose object is the acquisition of equipment, goods and services necessary for the prevention, containment, mitigation and treatment of infection by SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 disease.

4. Expenses related to the following procedures were also authorized:

• Acquisition of vaccines for the National Vaccination Plan, hygiene and cleaning services and surveillance and security services, by the Regional Health Administrations of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, in the North and Center;
• Contract signature for the management and provision of health care at the Cascais Hospital.

 

 

The Director General of Health recommends masks to be worn in all enclosed spaces where they may be a concentration of people. This includes shops, pharmacies, public transport and shops generally.

It is stressed that wearing masks must be accompanied by other measures, already recommended, such as social distancing, frequent hand washing and respiratory hygiene.

A complete guide to the proper wearing of face masks, which is key for their effectiveness and safety, provided by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (EPDC), as well as DGS detailed advice can be downloaded here

 

STEP BY STEP GUIDE

The Prime Minister revealed yesterday afternoon in Parliament how the Government wants to get the economy moving again. It will only be in May. Until then, there are 15 decisive days to restore people’s confidence so that they can gradually return to the streets.

The goal is to “revive the economy, without letting the pandemic go uncontrolled”, explained the chief executive in a debate in which he challenged the Portuguese to take a vacation inside, and left the wish that this was the last debate to renew the state of emergency. Here is the executive’s strategy based on information left by António Costa.

 

What must be guaranteed in the next 15 days:

• Make means of personal protection, such as community masks and alcohol-based gel, abundant on the market;
• Have hygiene standards in workplaces, public spaces and, in particular, public transport. This is the “greatest logistical difficulty” the Government has to respond to, says Costa;
• In the particular case of public transport, the executive wants to find ways of having “different schedules, having a new organization of work” that avoids creating rush hours, but also “increasing on the supply side” so that “everyone can safely begin using public transport again”;
• Have the confidence that the robustness of the National Health Service (SNS) is able to support itself in the face of, “necessarily, an increased risk of transmission whenever we relieve the contention”.

 

What the Government wants to start doing in May:

• Face-to-face classes, even if partial, in years 11 and 12;
• Reopen day care centres to support families, many with income losses or increased effort when teleworking. The idea of reopening day care centres is not new, and had already been considered at the meeting with health technicians where the date of May 4 was proposed as a limit for resuming face-to-face classes. This is because the virus affects younger children very little. A study by the Escola Superior de Saúde Pública, presented this Wednesday at the meeting at Infarmed, revealed that other countries started by reopening schools with young children due to the “low risk of transmitting to many people: children of that age return home from school and have little social life independent of their parents. This has a high economic impact: parents can go back to work ”;
• Open pre-school, at least during the beach/countryside period, so that children can get back together;
• Restore the face-to-face service in the Public Administration services and end the suspension of procedural deadlines;
• Gradually reopen the economic activities where the Government decreed the closure. Start with the small neighbourhood trade – “the one that brings fewer people together, requires less travel distance, which best serves the local economy”, explained Costa -, to then move on to “small shops with open doors to the street” and only reach the large commercial spaces after;
• Set specific safety standards for professionals and users of personal care activities, such as hairdressers and barbers. The aim is to create conditions to have these services open;
• Begin opening cultural facilities for those which have a fixed capacity and marked seating, to allow reopening with the necessary social distancing, “although it may be required, as in public transport and schools, to use a community mask”;
• Create distancing rules for sports venues and open-air shows, similar to what will be done by the union centrals in the celebrations of the 1st of May and which the Church intends to guarantee in ceremonies;
• Continue teleworking for those who can do it. These people will have greater freedom of movement to take their children to day care centres, use the shops that are gradually reopening, public transport and cultural facilities, even if they have to wear a mask. The Prime Minister considered teleworking essential, for instance to allow “the operation of public transport to run as smoothly as possible”.
• The Government also wants to work with companies to find better ways of organising working time: “some working in the morning and others in the afternoon, some working a week and others another week”. The aim is to progressively free people from domestic confinement.

The President of the Republic scheduled for tonight, at 8 pm, a declaration to the country following its third decree of state of emergency. He began the intervention by saying: “I hope this is the last state of emergency”.

After, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa explained the three reasons for having once again declared a state of emergency. “Our task in nursing homes has not wasted a minute but it needs some more time,” he said.

The President then went on to say that Portugal “is the third country in Europe that tests the most” and even that did not increase the numbers of infected people. “But we must continue to stabilize the daily number of hospitalizations, in order to ensure that our SNS will be in a position to respond” to the possible outbreak in the event of increased social contacts.

The “third and most relevant” reason has to do with the declaration of the state of emergency itself, which, according to the President, gives the Government time and space to study and prepare for the gradual opening of society and the economy after the end of April”, taking into account time, means, territory, areas and sectors.

Marcelo quoted the people – “We don’t want to die on the beach” – to say that one cannot exchange what has already been achieved for a temptation. And he ended the 12-minute statement with a sentence: “If this is a miracle, the miracle is called Portugal”.

The Assembly of the Republic approved a new extension of the state of emergency until May 2 with the votes in favour of PS, PSD, CDS, PAN, BE, the abstentions of PEV and André Ventura, of Chega, and the votes against of the PCP, from deputy João Cotrim Figueiredo, from the Liberal Initiative, and from non-registered deputy Joacine Katar Moreira.

The decree proposed by the President of the Republic provides for the possibility of a “gradual, phased or alternate opening of services, companies or commercial establishments”.

In the explanatory memorandum to the decree, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa considers that the “gradual reactivation” may be achieved “with possible openings with adapted operating hours, by sectors of activity, by size of the company in terms of employment, the area of the commercial establishment or geographical location, with adequate monitoring “.

The President of the Republic stresses, however, that for this to be possible, “it is necessary that epidemiological data continue to show a decrease in the spread of the virus, that the response capacity of the National Health Service continues to be assured and that the testing capacity is robust and that monitoring is convenient”.

After the partial suspension of the “right to move and settle anywhere in the national territory” being imposed in the first two declarations of state of emergency, the third decree determines that these restrictions imposed by the authorities may be “symmetrical or asymmetric, namely in relation to people and age groups or places of residence, which, without discriminatory nature, are appropriate to the epidemiological situation and justified by the need to reduce the risk of contagion and implement measures to prevent and combat the epidemic “.

It is up to the Government to present the measures that materialize the guidelines contained in the decree.

The firefighting device has 11,827 operational personnel this year, more than 500 personnel compared to 2019, supported by 2,664 land and 60 air means, said the Secretary of State for Internal Administration today .

“In the maximum phase of commitment of the device, we even have an increase of about 500 operational compared to the numbers of 2019, that is, we will have 11,827 operational”, revealed Patrícia Gaspar, in the scope of a parliamentary hearing, at the request of the PAN, for provide clarification on land clearing and fire prevention in this exceptional period of covid-19.

The approximately 12,000 operatives include firefighters, forest sappers, the Special Civil Protection Force, the Public Security Police (PSP) and the Republican National Guard (GNR), which will be supported by 2,664 land and 60 air assets that integrate the combat device. forest fires.

Despite the covid-19 pandemic, “at this moment, there is no estimate of a substantial cut in the number of personnel available for response actions,” said the official, referring that the mechanisms for prevention and support for operational decision have been strengthened and the operating device is stabilized.

“We have the main forces that contribute to this operational issue, so the elements that have been confined or affected, and some of them have already returned to service, have not affected the operation of these forces. If everything remains in this pattern, it is not estimated, at this stage, that there may be a significant impact on our capacity in terms of prevention and combat “, reinforced Patrícia Gaspar.

In view of the uncertainty of the evolution of the pandemic in Portugal, the priority is to “bet as much as possible on surveillance”, in the sense of “making the initial attack as strong as possible” in case of fire, coordinating efforts in the most critical areas, including 1,114 parishes identified this year with high fire risk, and at the most critical moments in terms of weather conditions.

“We have to take care of the worst possible scenario, that is, we will hope for the best, preparing for the worst,” said the head of the Internal Administration portfolio.

As a novelty, this year there will be “a national operational directive for surveillance, under the responsibility of GNR, which is in the final approval phase”, said the minister, explaining that the idea is “to reinforce the context of surveillance in order to bridge or strengthen any problems that may be detected “.

“No matter how much we work on mitigation, planning and prevention, zero risk does not exist, it will never exist”, warned Patrícia Gaspar, defending that one can never let one’s guard down against the risk of forest fires, because “this is going to be a war and a permanent struggle, which will have to be carried out every year “, regardless of the pandemic.

Ensuring permanent monitoring of the entire device, the Secretary of State said that this year, until April 14, there were 681 occurrences of fires, compared to the average of 2,760 occurrences recorded in the last decade for this period, and 747 hectares of burnt forest, for an average of 7,233 hectares.

“This year, the situation will be, for now, not worrying”, considered the minister, adding that these are numbers that do not satisfy, but “confer some tranquility”.

As for fuel management, the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF) has already carried out 682 hectares of the 3,500 planned for this year and the installation of the fuel management and interruption bands of the primary network has been ensured on 674 hectares of the planned 2,468 .

In addition, fuel management actions are underway with the use of grazing, 367 hectares of controlled fire were carried out and 216 forested paths were made out of the 1,000 planned this year.

Regarding the pilot projects for fire prevention in protected areas, of the 2,000 hectares planned for 2019 and 2020, 1,130 hectares have already been secured, according to data provided by the Secretary of State for Internal Administration.

Lisbon, 16 April 2020 (Lusa) – The draft decree of the President of the Republic that extends the state of emergency until May 2 provides for the possibility of a “gradual, phased or alternate opening of services, companies or commercial establishments”.

In the explanatory memorandum of the diploma he sent today to the Assembly of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa points out that, “due to the evolution of the data and considering the experience in other European countries, the possibility of future gradual, phased reactivation is now foreseen, alternating and differentiated services, companies and establishments “.

According to the head of state, this “gradual reactivation” may take place “with possible openings with adapted operating hours, by sectors of activity, by size of the company in terms of employment, the area of ​​the commercial establishment or its geographical location, with adequate monitoring “.

In the item of the diploma referring to the partial suspension of the exercise of the right to property and private economic initiative, it is read that “different criteria can be defined, namely with possible openings with operating hours adapted, by activity sectors, by company size in terms of employment, the area of ​​the establishment or its geographical location, for the gradual, phased or alternate opening of services, companies or commercial establishments “.

UPDATES 1300 HRS

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has already sent the third declaration of the state of emergency to Parliament, which restores some labour rights and allows for the celebration of the 1st of May, although with restrictions.

This third renewal of the state of emergency, to be approved by Parliament, will be in force until May 2nd.

In this third decree of the state of emergency, in which the end of mandatory confinement begins to be foreseen, it is established that people’s mobility restrictions may be greater or less depending on the age or place of residence, which, “without discriminatory nature, are appropriate to the epidemiological situation and justified by the need to reduce the risk of contagion and implement measures to prevent and combat the epidemic”.

Thus, the possibility of compulsory confinement continues to be foreseen, as well as the establishment of sanitary fences, but mobility restrictions are beginning to lift, which are no longer justified by professional activity, the need for medical care or assistance to third parties. To what extent and for what reasons will be decided by the Government.

As for the restrictions on the right to the protection of personal data, everything remains as it was: the only limits imposed are for the Directorate-General for Health to send messages related to the pandemic via mobile phone to all citizens. No other restrictions were contemplated to allow any form of screening for infected or suspect persons.

In this third phase of the state of emergency, economic activities are also beginning to see an opening, albeit with different criteria. The decree provides that there may be “adapted operating hours, by sectors of activity, by size of the company in terms of employment, the area of the establishment or its geographical location”, for the “gradual, phased or alternate opening of services, companies or commercial establishments ”.

The presidential decree also provides for the possibility of requesting services and using movable or immovable property, health care units, commercial and industrial establishments, companies and other production units, if deemed necessary by the authorities.

It is also foreseen that any company may be forced to open, close or change its activity, changing the quantity, nature or price of goods produced and traded, providing as well that these goods may be acquired by the State by direct agreement.

The possibility of restrictions on dismissals, price control and combating speculation or hoarding of certain products or materials is maintained. The right to restore the financial balance of concessions or services due to a breach in the use of concessioned goods resulting from the measures adopted in the context of the state of emergency also remains limited.

Workers’ rights are practically unchanged from previous decrees, with the suspension of the right to strike remaining when compromising “essential” services or structures. The right to participate in the drafting of labour legislation, which was suspended, is now limited only “insofar as the exercise of such right may represent a delay in the entry into force of urgent legislative measures”.

Any act of active or passive resistance exclusively directed to legitimate orders issued by the competent public authorities in execution of the present state of emergency is also prevented, and the perpetrators may incur, under the terms of the law, a crime of disobedience.

The Council of Ministers are meeting to determine the new measures of the state of emergency, which are not expected to be very different from those that were already in force, and there may be such nuances with regard to the sectors of activity. Parliament will also debate and approve the new state of emergency decree this afternoon.

 

 

 

 The President of the Republic decides today, with the opinion of the Government, on the extension of the state of emergency for a new period of 15 days, which in the afternoon will be debated and voted on in parliament.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa made it known last Friday that he intended to renew once again the state of emergency, which has prevailed in Portugal since March 19, arguing that you cannot “play in service” or “let your guard down” in combat to the spread of covid-19.

“My conviction has been formed – as you know, it is an initiative of the President of the Republic – regarding the renewal of the state of emergency,” he told reporters at the time. On Wednesday, after listening to the experts, he confirmed that “everything is heading” for that decision.

“But this renewal may mean that, in some facets, it means not reducing the April requirement, not in relation to the circulation of people, but pointing now to what will be the reality of May”, admitted the head of state, considering that the next month may already be “a transition” to a “progressive resumption of social and economic life”.

According to the Constitution, it is up to the President of the Republic to declare a state of emergency, but this decision depends on the hearing of the Government and the authorization of the parliament, and cannot be in force for more than 15 days, without prejudice to possible renewals with the same limit. temporal.

The current period of state of emergency is the second decreed by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and ends at 23:59 this Friday, April 17th. If it is renewed for 15 days, it will remain in effect from April 18 until May 2.

PS, PSD, BE, CDS-PP and PAN voted in favor of the two requests for authorization from the President of the Republic to declare a state of emergency.

The first declaration of the state of emergency, a month ago, unprecedented in democracy, was approved by the parliament without votes against, with abstentions from PCP, ENP, Liberal Initiative and from the non-registered deputy Joacine Katar Moreira.

The renewal of the state of emergency, two weeks ago, had a vote against, by the sole deputy of the Liberal Initiative, João Cotrim de Figueiredo, and had abstentions from PCP, ENP, Chega and Joacine Katar Moreira.

As for the terms under which a third period of state of emergency will take place, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said last Friday that it was “too early to say what the final version” would be, but that he considered that it was not necessary to have “restrictions as restrictive as those of the Easter “, a time when families usually gather together.

The meeting of the Council of Ministers at which the proposal for a decree by the President of the Republic will be considered is scheduled for 09:30 today at Palácio da Ajuda, in Lisbon, and the debate in the Assembly of the Republic on the request for authorization to renew the state of emergency is scheduled for 15:30.

With the state of emergency decreed by the President of the Republic, the rights to travel and settle anywhere in the national territory, as well as international circulation, property and private economic initiative, workers’ rights, assembly and demonstration are partially suspended , freedom of worship in its collective dimension, freedom to teach and learn, protection of personal data and acts of resistance to authorities in execution of the rules adopted in this exception framework are prevented.

The Government, which is responsible for regulating the application of the state of emergency, imposed the suspension of a set of activities and the “mandatory confinement” for patients with covid-19 and infected with the new coronavirus, a “special duty of protection” for over 70 years old and people considered at risk, because they are immunosuppressed or have other pathologies, and a “general duty of home care” for the rest of the population.

Under the state of emergency, the executive has adopted a set of extraordinary and urgent measures to respond to the epidemiological situation of covid-19.