Year: 2022

MAI GUARANTEES THAT SEF REFORM WILL MATERIALISE

Lisbon, 04 Apr 2022 (Lusa) –

The Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI) guaranteed today that the reform of the SEF will take place and that “the entire restructuring process will be clear and transparent” and in dialogue with the structures of workers.

The new Minister of Internal Administration, José Luís Carneiro, received the three unions representing the SEF this afternoon and one of the items on the agenda was “the ongoing restructuring process”, says the MAI, in a response sent to Lusa.

According to the MAI, José Luís Carneiro assured the representatives of the three unions that “the entire restructuring process will be clear and transparent, through a frank and open dialogue with the workers’ representative structures”.

During the meeting, the minister also ensured the “maintenance of the remuneration status” of the employees, that “everything will be done to protect the functional status” and “preservation of a dignified career, with prospects for progression”, as well as the “possibility of accessing leadership positions, exercising functions in European and international organizations or immigration liaison officers”.

The minister also told the unions that border training courses will start this week at the GNR and PSP, two of the police forces that will absorb the SEF’s police powers, together with the PJ.

The MAI indicates that José Luís Carneiro also realized that the restructuring process of the SEF “is an institutional evolution that corresponds to a change in political options and public policies, in accordance with the Global Pact for Migration, approved by the General Assembly of the UN, and the National Plan for the Implementation of the Global Compact on Migration, already approved and published by the Portuguese Government”.

FIRST PORTUGUESE TENDER FOR FLOATING SOLAR PLANTS TOOK PLACE ON MONDAY

The tender included seven lots, for the installation of 263 MW of floating solar power plant capacity, in the first tender of its kind in Portugal.

The 7 reservoirs (4 in the North and 3 in Alentejo) are Alto Rabagão, Paradela, Salamonde, Vilarinho das Furnas, Monte da Rocha, Santa Clara and Alqueva.

In the case of lot 1, for Alqueva, the occupation of 250 hectares of water surface is planned, that is, 1% of the water surface of this reservoir in Alentejo.

Lot 1 is the only one of the seven lots to require an environmental impact study.

The other six, as they will have less than 50 MW of capacity, only involve studies of environmental incidences.

This is one of the lots that will make it possible to connect the new solar power plant to the grid as soon as built, since there is immediate availability in the electrical grid, unlike what happens in five of the seven lots up for tender, with grid availability only in December 2023.

EDP Renováveis, which won lot 1, will install a floating solar plant in Alqueva with 70 MW of capacity, complemented with 70 MW wind production capacity.

MEETING BETWEEN RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN NEGOTIATORS HAS ENDED.

BREAKING NEWS: 1600 HRS Breaking: Russia is beginning to withdraw some forces from around the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, in what the US assesses is a “major” strategy shift, two senior US officials state. US is already observing movements underway of Russian Battalion Tactical Groups (BTGs) 1/

DEPUTY RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTER ANNOUCES PLAN TO drastically” reduce military activity in the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Chernihiv.

Teams had been meeting in Istanbul to try and agree a ceasefire, and an end to the conflict in Ukraine.

Roman Abramovich was present for the talks, but not officially part of the negotiating teams.

Meanwhile, Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky told Russian state television that he hoped a statement would be released in several hours.

Kyiv’s delegation has revealed some of what was covered in Istanbul this morning.

Ukraine’s negotiators say a “security guarantee system” was discussed, which would include measures like having no foreign military bases on its territory.

Countries such as Turkey, Poland and Canada are seen as being the guarantors in that process.

Negotiators added a referendum would likely be held over any Russian terms, and that Ukraine would want full peace agreements in place.

Ukraine would agree to neutral status if its proposals are agreed, they added.

Russia simply described the talks as “constructive” and that the outcome would be reported to Vladimir Putin.

Russia’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu earlier repeated comments that suggested Moscow may be preparing for a climb down from its initial stated aims in the invasion – and, potentially, seeking to justify a peace settlement while attempting to avoid perceptions of a humiliating defeat in the conflict.

The Russian Defence Ministry announced after the meeting that it plans to “drastically” reduce military activity in the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Chernihiv, for the benefit of peace talks. ” Bearing in mind the principles discussed today during today’s meeting, in order to increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions to carry out the negotiations and reach the joint objective of signing an agreement, the decision was taken to drastically reduce the activity military in Kyiv and Chernihiv”, said Alexander Fomin, Russian deputy defence minister, according to the Ria news agency.

Donations to Ukraine refugees in Caldas da Rainha area

Attn: those living in Caldas da Rainha area.

In order to help offer support to Ukrainian refugees here in the Caldas and surrounding areas, please feel free to leave any donations of food clothing and household items at the following ,

Paviilion Arneirnesse

Rua Eng Manuel da Maia.

In Caldas da Rainha.

Accommodating refugees – important notice

Under no circumstances should refugees be housed without the knowledge of the relevant municipality as this could affect the rights for health and social care services for the refugees.

2022 PRIORITY LIST FOR LAND CLEANING INSPECTIONS IN RURAL AREAS PUBLISHED

BE AWARE OF THE INSPECTION PERIOD

Lisbon, March 22, 2022 (Lusa) – Around 1,000 parishes were identified this year as priorities for cleaning forests, as part of measures to combat rural fires, according to an order published today in Diário da República.

The order adds that there are 1,001 priority parishes for the purpose of monitoring fuel management this year, one less than in 2021.

In a statement, the Ministry of Internal Administration states that “the identification of these priority parishes allows an efficient use of the human and technical resources of the entities involved in the inspection of compliance with the rules for cleaning the land, in a territorial dimension that exceeds six million hectares”.

“The timely treatment of the accumulation and continuities of vegetation within the scope of the secondary network of fuel management strips is one of the main measures that contribute to the protection of people, animals and property against rural fires”, says the order signed by the secretary of health. State for Internal Administration, Patrícia Gaspar, and by the Secretary of State for Nature Conservation, Forests and Territorial Planning, João Paulo Catarino.

However, the document indicates that the definition of these priorities “does not exempt inspection agents from complying with all the provisions set out in the legislation for the management of rural dwellings, and does not limit their scope of inspection to the aforementioned areas and deadlines”.

According to the order, the inspection of fuel management in the 1,001 priority parishes is carried out between 1st and 31st May on land adjacent to buildings in rural areas (within a range of 50 meters) and population centers, as well as campsites, industrial parks, logistics platforms and sanitary landfills in forest areas (within a range of 100 meters).

ALGARVE

There priority parishes in the Algarve for inspections are: Aljezur. Bordeira. Ameixial. Salir, Alferce. Marmelete, Monchique, São Brás de Alportel, Cachopo, Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo, Vila do Bispo e Raposeira, Monte Gordo and Vila Real de Santo António.

The order with full list of parishes can be downloaded here:

https://dre.pt/dre/detalhe/despacho/3369-2022-180830534

Details on Land cleaning here:

https://www.safecommunitiesportugal.com/…/land…/

COMMENTThis does not mean that those properties not included in these parishes will not be inspected. If properties are overgrown these still need to be cleaned and are liable for inspection.

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE -SITUATION REPORT 0800 HRS WEDNESDAY 16TH MARCH 2022

The report of overnight developments up to 0800 hrs today, plus 24 hrs up to 1800 hrs yesterday, summarized under various headings, can be downloaded here:

https://www.safecommunitiesportugal.com/russian-invasion…/

Early this morning sirens were activated in Cherkasy, Dnipro, Lviv, Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Odesa, Vinnytsia, Kirovohrad, and Khmelnytskyi Oblasts, as well as in the cities of Kyiv, Izyum, Kremenchuk, Bila Tserkva, Nikopol, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Izmail, Odesa, Poltava, and the Kryve Ozero area. (KI). CNN reports that according to their team on the ground, loud explosions were heard in Kyiv’s suburbs.

Bombardment of the capital city continued overnight, with plumes of smoke seen rising above a large residential building in western Kyiv this morning. Shrapnel from an artillery shell hit the 12-story building, obliterating the top floor and igniting a fire. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said two people were injured and work is ongoing to search for any victims.

Russian troops seize hospital and take 500 hostage in southern port city of Mariupol (BBC);

According to a senior US Defence official, Russian forces have fired more than 950 missiles since the start of the invasion of Ukraine.

(CNN)

The United States “continues to assess the limited or no progress of Russian ground forces towards achieving their objectives,” the same official said, noting that invading troops have not advanced further into Kiev and estimating that they are still around 15 to 30 kms away from the capital.

Two people have been injured, according to Odesa authorities. Satellite images showed 14 ships of the Russian fleet sailing towards the city of Odesa on March 15, among them a 120-meter landing ship Pyotr Morgunov of Russia’s northern fleet. (See map)

As of the morning of March 16, the Armed Forces of Ukraine delivered a devastating blow to groups of invading Russian forces in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and launched a counter-attack in some areas. “The state, situation and nature of the actions of defence forces have not changed significantly over the past 24 hours. The Armed Forces of Ukraine managed to deliver a devastating blow to groups of occupiers’ troops in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and launched a counter-attack in some areas,” the statement reads. (Ukrinform)

US – The US Senate has condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin as a war criminal. The conviction was passed unanimously. It was a rare show of unity in the US Congress, which is heavily divided between Republicans and Democrats. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the US Congress this Wednesday.

PEACE TALKS – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said peace talks with Russia were beginning to sound “more realistic” but that more time was needed to ensure the outcome of the negotiations were in Kyiv’s interests. Zelenskyy’s comments early on Wednesday came as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine neared the three-week mark and Russian forces continued their bombardment of Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv, and the southern port city of Mariupol. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelenskyy and member of the Ukrainian delegation, has described the negotiations as “very difficult and viscous”. The two sides are expected to speak again on Wednesday. (Aljazeera)

REFUGEES TO PORTUGAL – Portugal has already granted more than 10,000 requests for temporary protection to people coming from Ukraine as a result of the war situation, according to an updated balance sheet to Lusa by a source from the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF).

THERE IS NO REASON AT THE MOMENT TO FORESEE THE POSSIBLITY OF FOOD SHORTAGES

“There is, at the moment, no reason to foresee the possibility of food shortages”, clarifies the Portugal’s Ministry of Agriculture following news that report the possibility of food shortages and the increase in food prices.

The note states that “in terms of food prices, there is an upward trend across the European Union, due to the high costs of raw materials, fertilizers and energy. This trend could be exacerbated by the current military conflict between Russia and Ukraine”.

The Ministry of Agriculture is, together with the other governmental areas, “carrying out permanent monitoring and follow-up regarding the national food supply. In this regard, it met, on 28 February, with the Monitoring and Assessment Group for the Conditions of Supply of Goods in the Agri-food and Retail Sectors as a result of Market Dynamics, and no risk of disruption in supply was reported. A new meeting with this Group is scheduled for the 21st of March”.

This monitoring is also carried out through the Planning, Policies and General Administration Office, with a meeting of the Consultative Committee for the Cereals Sector with the Portuguese farmers’ confederations scheduled for the 18th of March, and a meeting of the Minister of Agriculture with the confederations, for next Monday, the 14th.

Portugal mainly imports cereals for animal feed from Ukraine, with other alternative origins for these raw materials (South America and North America), with which operators already have contact. In addition, operations and contacts with new suppliers are also underway, as is the case with South Africa”. “Cereals intended for human consumption, such as bread-making wheat, have France as their main import source, and this circuit is stable and consolidated”.

https://www.portugal.gov.pt/pt/gc22/comunicacao/noticia…

ERNEST SHACKLETON’S SHIP ENDURANCE FOUND OFF COAST OF ANTARTICA

Expedition team locates wreckage of explorer’s ship which sank in Weddell Sea in 1915, it has been reported today.

Ernest Shackleton’s lost ice ship, Endurance, has been discovered in the waters of Antarctica’s Weddell Sea. Endurance was crushed and sunk by pack ice in 1915, during Shackleton’s failed attempt to cross the Antarctic continent, and remained lost to the depths for more than a century.

Now, the wreck has been found, filmed and surveyed by members of the Endurance22 expedition, which set out in search of the shipwreck in February 2022. After weeks of surveying the seabed, the shipwreck was located in early March 2022, 100 years after Shackleton died in 1922.

In footage captured by the Endurance22 team using submersible vehicles, Endurance can be seen in exquisite detail, with coils of rope draped across the deck, the ship’s wheel stood upright and the brass ‘Endurance’ lettering emblazoned upon the stern, still shimmering after a century underwater.

Mensun Bound, Endurance22’s Director of Exploration, said of the discovery, “we are overwhelmed by our good fortune in having located and captured images of Endurance. This is by far the finest wooden shipwreck I have ever seen. It is upright, well proud of the seabed, intact and in a brilliant state of preservation.”

Endurance had not been seen since it was crushed by ice and sank in the Weddell Sea in 1915, and last month the Endurance22 Expedition set off from Cape Town, South Africa, a month after the 100th anniversary of Shackleton’s death on a mission to locate it.

Endurance was found at a depth of 3,008 metres and approximately four miles south of the position originally recorded by the ship’s captain, Frank Worsley, the trust said.