Year: 2020

This Thursday 2^nd April , Parliament approved the extension of the state of emergency, with Chega, Joacine Katar Moreira, PCP and PEV abstaining. The Liberal Initiative voted against

It was with the presence of 149 deputies that the renewal of the state of emergency was approved, with the favorable votes of PS, PSD, CDS-PP, BE and PAN, the vote against the Liberal Initiative and the abstention of PCP, ENP, Chega and non-registered deputy Joacine Katar Moreira, who announced the presentation of an explanation of vote, in a critical tone because it was not possible to speak in the debate, due to the rules of procedure of the Assembly of the Republic.

The State of emergency, with rules that further restrict citizens’ freedoms, was renewed precisely on the day that marks the 44th anniversary of the approval of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, in the same space where the country’s Basic Law was approved: the Assembly of the Republic. Fact that was not ignored by the Prime Minister

“44 years ago, no one dreamed that today we would celebrate, thus, the approval of the Constitution”, pointed out António Costa, recalling that, this Thursday, it is also a month since the diagnosis of the first case of Covid-19 in the country.

Recalling that in the next 15 days, the country will enter the most critical phase of fighting the pandemic, the Prime Minister considered “absolutely essential” that the state of emergency be renewed and asked the Portuguese for some more effort, pleading with them to celebrate Easter at home, away from their villages.

“The real way we have to stop this pandemic and move as little as possible”, stressed António Costa, promising that the reopening of the school year will be analyzed, on the 7th, with “the maximum of restraint”.

On the other hand, the prime minister insisted on leaving a harsh word to those who are taking advantage of the pandemic crisis, exploring the fear it causes in people. António Costa referred to those who are “abusing in industrial relations”, the “attempted economic exploitation” and the “authority to impose unjustified restrictions on rights, freedoms and guarantees”.

In fact, something pointed out harshly by PCP and BE. “The Government has to protect jobs and wages”, stressed the national coordinator of the Left Bloc, Catarina Martins, thus demanding more measures to protect jobs and wages.

The parliamentary leader of the CP, João Oliveira, agreed that what is needed is to stop “the law of the jungle against workers” and abusive dismissals using coercion and threats. “” This pandemic poses health, economic and social problems. None of this requires a state of emergency “, considered João Oliveira, thus justifying the PCP ‘s abstention.

“It’s anything goes,” reinforced the ENP parliamentary leader, José Luís Ferreira, arguing that “it is not the state of emergency that allows the government to provide the necessary answers” than the country at this time of epidemic crisis.

“Democracy is not suspended and the fight against this pandemic cannot be limited by fundamental rights”, justified, in his turn, the only deputy João Cotrim Figueiredo, the reason why the Liberal Initiative voted against the renewal of the state of emergency .

The Prime Minister, António Costa, said this Wednesday that the Government gave a favourable opinion to the renewal of the state of emergency, after the Council of Ministers.

After the extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers, Costa spoke to journalists and said that he will meet on Thursday with the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who may enact the extension of the state of emergency. The measures proposed by the Government will also be discussed for approval by Parliament on Thursday.

The prime minister said that “the government has given its assent to renewing the period of state of emergency”. “The behaviour of the population has been exemplary, it is a very difficult effort to make,” he added.

About the reopening of schools, Costa recalled, as Marcelo had mentioned on Tuesday, that the Government will meet on the 7th and that on the 9th it will present “the decisions about the school year”.

“This month is the decisive month for us to control the pandemic. Easter will have to be different than usual. It is a message that we have to pass on to our compatriots abroad, whom we ask that, this time, spend Easter on their current residence, being certain that, if they come, they will have to be confined in their homes “, said the Prime Minister.

“The decision is absolutely exceptional, which demonstrates the scale of the seriousness of the situation and the sacrifice it represents for thousands of families. We must be very cautious in applying these sacrifices.”

The Government’s opinion goes for discussion and approval in the Parliament, on Thursday, for later decision and decree of the President of the Republic

TAP will operate just five flights a week between Wednesday, April 1 and May 4, between Lisbon, Madeira and the Azores, according to information released by the company in its’ site’.

According to the official source of the carrier, “all flights are subject to authorizations”, and if they are not granted they may even be canceled.

Thus, as of this Wednesday, the flag carrier will only operate two flights a week between Lisbon and Funchal, an equal number of connections between the capital and Ponta Delgada and a weekly flight from Lisbon to Terceira.

The Civil Aviation Pilots Union (SPAC) informed its associates on Monday that TAP, “due to the cancellation of all its flights for the month of April, intends to lay out its pilots “.

In a statement to which Lusa had access, after meeting with the carrier’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee, the SPAC management tells members that “TAP has informed that, due to the cancellation of all its flights for the month of April, it intends to put its pilots in a lay-off regime, without implementing the measures, which are still under analysis “.

“TAP was able to do so very quickly,” he says in the same statement.

According to other union sources, who also met with the Board of Directors, led by Miguel Frasquilho, and with the Executive Committee, headed by Antonoaldo Neves, TAP has committed itself to inform workers of the measures to be taken in the face of the impact of covid-19 over the next two days.

The intention is for the cost reduction measures to take effect in April, union sources told Lusa.

In communicating to its members, the Union of Maintenance and Aircraft Technicians (Sitema) needed that Antonoaldo Neves announced “the suspension of all TAP flights as of April 1 (even Azores and Madeira is subject to authorizations)”, staying ” only the execution of flights for specific missions is open “.

“David Pedrosa [TAP administrator] stated that the definition of the model to be adopted by TAP is currently being studied, this model is being negotiated between TAP and the Government and should be concluded within 48 hours”, he details the System in the document to which Lusa had access.

Today, the unions representing aviation workers, in a joint statement, announced that the Government believes that TAP “needs a strong recapitalization and that there is a willingness to carry it out”.

The unions were “informed that TAP will be included in the European Union’s aid package for airlines, and that it is also assumed by the Government that TAP SGPS needs a strong recapitalization, and that there is a willingness to do it”, reads in a joint statement from the Union of Workers and Aviation (SITAVA), Union of Metallurgical and Related Industries (SIMA), Union of Staff of Commercial Aviation (SQAC), National Union of Civil Aviation Workers (SINTAC) and Union of Handling Technicians of Airports (STHA).

Infarmed said today it is monitoring all national and international efforts to develop potential treatments and vaccines for covid-19, but insisted that no drug has yet proven its effectiveness in fighting the disease.

“To date, there are several initiatives that are underway, regarding potential treatments for covid-19. However, at the present date and based on preliminary data, no drug has yet proved effective in the treatment of covid-19 ”, according to the statement released by the medicine’s authority.

Stressing the importance of the “synergy of efforts, international cooperation and support measures for companies”, Infarmed said that it is “in permanent articulation” with the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

In a press release also published today, the European body revealed that it had put the fight against the pandemic caused by the new coronavirus “at the top of the priorities”, in addition to currently accompanying several companies in the “development of about 40 therapeutic options”.

Regarding the possible therapies on which clinical trials are already taking place, Infarmed highlighted the following: remdesivir (experimental medicine used for Ebola infection), lopinavir / ritonavir (association authorized for the treatment of HIV infection), chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine ( nationally authorized as treatments for malaria and some autoimmune diseases), systemic interferons, namely interferon beta (authorized for multiple sclerosis); and monoclonal antibodies.

On the other hand, the national authority for the medicine and health products acknowledged that “phase I clinical trials for two vaccines are already underway”, although it has admitted that “rapid approval” to deal with the current pandemic is “complex”.

“Based on experience in the development of other vaccines, it is estimated that the entire process will take at least one year before a vaccine for covid-19 can be prepared for approval and available in sufficient quantities to ensure wide-scale use” , says Infarmed.

Fulfilling the duty to keep information open and cooperation between the different sovereign bodies, party forces and social partners and similarly to what happened last week, a closed door presentation of “Covid-19 epidemiological situation in Portugal”, took place at 1000 hrs at the INFARMED Auditorium, Lisbon this morning

The session had several technical presentations, namely by epidemiologists from DGS (Directorate-General for Health), INSA (National Health Institute Doctor Ricardo Jorge), ISPUP (Public Health Institute of the University of Porto) and ENSP (National School of Health) Public health).

The President of the Republic, the President of the Assembly of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the leaders of the Political Parties with parliamentary representation, the leaders of the employers’ confederations and union structures will be present. These, who were already present in the previous session, will be joined by the members of the Council of State, who will attend the session through videoconference.

This afternoon the Prime Minister is continuing the sequence of working meetings that began last week with Inter-municipal Communities across the country and the Prime Minister will meet with the CIMs of the Central Region of the Country.

Exceptional and temporary rent payment scheme

Read in conjunction with the Q and As 

The   Council of Ministers of March 26 approved a Law Proposal that establishes a flexibility in the payment of rents during the period in which the exceptional measures to contain the coronavirus / Covid-19 pandemic are in force.

With this law proposal, which was delivered today 31^st to the Assembly of the Republic, is intended to guarantee the minimum stability in the lives of people and companies, while ensuring better conditions so that, after the exception period, it is possible to overcome the difficulties for it generated.

All measures apply to rents due on April 1, 2020.

Residential leasing

The proposal foresees, for housing leasing, to ensure, for households that suffer a significant income drop in this period, flexibility in the payment of rents that ensures that any delays that may occur are not a default and that does not imply payment, the indemnity of 20% of the rent, provided for in the Civil Code, provided that these rents are paid within the periods provided for in the proposed law.

Authorize the Housing and Urban Rehabilitation Institute to grant interest-free loans for the payment of rent to these tenants or their landlords, when they have low income and the tenants do not use the loan and to offset the amount of monthly rent due and not pay.

Allow public entities with leased houses to, during this period, reduce or exempt from rent payments those tenants who prove to have had a drop in income, or even establish moratoriums on them.

Access to the scheme

To be able to access this regime, tenants need to prove that they have had a drop of more than 20% of the household’s income compared to the income of the previous month or the same period of the previous year, and that the payment of the rent is or becomes higher 35% of income.

In the case of landlords, they must prove to have had a drop of more than 20% of the household income, if it is caused by the non-payment of rents under this regime, whenever the remaining disposable income of the household falls, for this reason, below of the Social Support Index.

The landlord has the right to terminate the contract, for failure to pay past due rent, if the lessee does not make his payment, within 12 months from the end of that period, in monthly instalments of not less than one-twelfth of the total amount, paid along with each month’s income.

Non-residential lease

For non-residential leasing, the proposal provides for the suspension of rental payments, in the case of commercial establishments that have been forced to close, under the declaration of a state of emergency.

The payment of arrears may be deferred in the months in which the state of emergency prevails and in the first month thereafter, for the twelve months after the end of that period, in monthly instalments of not less than one-twelfth of the total amount, paid together with the rent in the month concerned.