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The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, defended today that “the 25th of April is essential and had to be evoked”, as will be the 10th of June, the 5th of October and the 1st of December.

“In exceptional times of pain, suffering, mourning, separation and confinement, it is even more important to evoke the motherland, independence, the Republic, freedom and democracy”, emphasized the head of state in the solemn session evocative of the Carnation Revolution in the Assembly of the Republic.

The President of the Republic defended that the solemn session of the 25th of April is “a good and not a bad example” and that it would be “civically shameful” for the parliament to resign now from exercising all its powers.

“What would be truly incomprehensible and civically shameful was having an entire country living through this time of sacrifice and surrender, and the Assembly of the Republic resigned from exercising all its powers in a situation where they were and are more than ever essential. And also in this session, which has always been and will be an essential moment of critical and plural control in freedom and democracy – because these are the values ​​of April “, he said.

At the end of the solemn commemorative session of the 46th anniversary of the 25th of April, in the Assembly of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa focused his speech in defense of this commemoration of the Carnation Revolution, seeking to answer the “doubts of some Portuguese”.

“In a time of confinement for so many Portuguese, as it was at Easter and now at Ramadan, are we standing before a bad example in a state of emergency, in terms of principles, as in compliance with health directives? No. The state of emergency implies an extraordinary reinforcement of the powers of the Government. And, because we live in freedom and democracy and it is with them that we want to overcome these crises, the greater the powers of the Government, the greater the powers of the Assembly of the Republic must be to control it “, he argued.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stressed that “the Assembly of the Republic never stopped working, and discussed and voted the most important in plenary sessions” in the last few weeks, “respecting the health directives, as is obviously necessary”.

The President of the Republic added that “this session is an example of this, a good and not a bad example”, in which “dissenting voices were heard that spoke of April 2020, of successes and also of failures, past and present, and of dreams and fears present in a critical situation of national life “.

The law that changes the legal regime applicable to the prevention of domestic violence and the protection and assistance of victims was approved, following the recommendations of the Group of Experts to Combat Violence against Women and Domestic Violence of the Council of Europe (GREVIO).

Seeking to ensure the effective protection of victims of domestic violence, the present law proposal includes the following changes:

– it is determined that, within 72 hours, constructive measures should be taken to assess the risk of a victim’s situation concerning new acts of violence against the victim and other persons related to them, by the MP or the OPC, as well as in cases where the accused has been detained;

– civil courts are empowered to issue urgent provisional decisions to protect the victim, such as the provisional regulation of parental responsibilities, the provisional use of the family home and the keeping of pet animals, immediately communicated to the MP of the relevant court.

– the scope of the Violence against Women and Domestic Violence Database is broadened, in order to improve, harmonise and update official data relating to violence against women and domestic violence in progress, through the adapting and harmonising of data collection and information systems.

Portugal has surpassed the barrier of 300,000 tests carried out on the covid-19 disease, the Secretary of State for Health revealed today, stating that this number is higher than countries like Norway, Switzerland, Italy and Germany.

“Portugal has surpassed the barrier of 300 thousand tests carried out. Since March 1, about 302 thousand covid-19 diagnostic tests have been carried out in our country. We are talking about testing 27,925 people per million inhabitants, which to date today is superior to countries like Norway, Switzerland, Italy and Germany “, said António Lacerda Sales.

The official, who said he was speaking at the daily press conference to take stock of the covid-19 pandemic in the country, added that about 49% of the tests were carried out in public laboratories, 45% in private laboratories and 5% in other institutions, namely academic and military.

“There are also more and more users inserted in the Trace Covid platform. At the moment there are already more than 135 thousand in this tool that allows the follow-up through primary health care of patients or suspicious people”, said António Lacerda Sales.

According to the Secretary of State for Health, of this number related to Trace Covid, “more than 30 thousand are under clinical surveillance”.

“I would like to leave a word of acknowledgment to all the people who are sick, convalescing in their homes, respecting the compulsory isolation and thus guaranteeing, not only their individual recovery, but protecting our collective health”, said the Governor.

António Lacerda Sales also stated that “since March 9, approximately 2,300 patients have been transferred from hospitals in the National Health Service (SNS) to units in the national integrated continuous care network”.

And that, in the same period, 230 social responses were found, which allowed “to free crucial hospital beds at this time of greatest pressure from the system”.

“We remain committed to ensuring that the NHS continues to respond positively to the different phases of the epidemic and that everyone’s efforts continue to be as decisive today as they were yesterday,” he concluded.

Portugal today registers 820 deaths associated with covid-19, 35 more than on Wednesday, and 22,353 infected (more 371), indicates the epidemiological bulletin released today by the Directorate-General for Health (DGS).

Comparing with Wednesday’s data, which recorded 785 deaths, today there was a percentage increase of 4.5%.

Regarding the number of confirmed cases of infection with the new coronavirus, DGS data show that there are 371 more cases than on Tuesday, representing an increase of 1.7%.

The North region has the highest number of deaths (475), followed by the Central region (179), Lisbon and the Tagus Valley (146), the Algarve (11), the Azores (8) and the Alentejo, which registers one dead person, the epidemiological situation report says, with data updated until midnight on Wednesday.

Road accidents fall by more than 70% in the first 30 days of the state of emergency, with 7,719 fewer accidents, a trend that was repeated in the number of injured and fatalities on Portuguese roads.

In a statement, the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI) highlights the sharp drop in the number of road accidents between March 19 and April 17, compared with the same periods in the last four years, from 10,918 to 3,199 registered accidents .

This trend is also confirmed in the data on fatalities, serious injuries and minor injuries (24 hours).

According to MAI, in the first case, the nine deaths recorded in the period under analysis represent a decrease of 72% compared to the same period in 2019, in which 32 fatalities had been recorded.

With regard to the seriously injured, the 51 recorded in the first 30 days of the state of emergency decreed in relation to the covid-19 represent a drop of 62% compared to the same period in 2019 (134).

The 799 minor injuries recorded between March 19 and April 17 of this year, mean a 76% decrease compared to the same period in 2019, in which 3,362 had been recorded.

The downward trend is also reflected in the comparative data between this year’s extended Easter weekend (April 9th ​​to 13th) and the same 2019 weekend (April 18th to 22nd), with a decrease in all indicators.

The authorities recorded 1,107 fewer accidents this year (-73%), resulting in seven fewer deaths (-78%), 32 serious injuries (-86%) and 408 minor injuries (-81%).

Although these numbers are associated with the state of emergency and the considerable decrease in the flow of road traffic resulting from this reality, the MAI underlines that the data reflect “in an exemplary way” how the Portuguese have contributed to contain the covid-19 outbreak in Portugal.

The country is in a state of emergency until May 2 because of the covid-19 pandemic, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

The latest official data indicate that Portugal registers 785 deaths associated with covid-19 and 21,982 cases of infection.

Lisbon, 22^nd April 2020 (Lusa) – The national beaches will have (a limited) maximum capacity of bathers during the bathing season, following the pandemic, which will be calculated according to the “load capacity” of each beach, said the Program Co-ordinator for Blue Flag today.

“The beaches, being public spaces, will also have to have follow the procedures and rules  implemented for the safety of all, obviously highlighting social distancing issues”, to prevent the spread of the disease pandemic caused by the new coronavirus”, explained the National Co-ordinator of the Blue Flag program, from the Blue Flag Association of Europe (ABAE), Catarina Gonçalves.

The official said that a “manual of procedures concerning access to beaches” in Portugal is being prepared, in a collaboration between several organizations, including the Portuguese Navy, the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), the Relief Institute for Castaways (ISN) and the Directorate-General for Health (DGS).

This guide should be ready “in the first week of May”, stressed Catarina Gonçalves, and will include the recommended load capacity of each beach.

“We will have to assess the means to calculate the load capacity of the beaches, that is, the beaches will have an occupation limit. The concession area of ​​a beach is already physically limited in that it has a dimension of extension and width, according to the high tide”, he continued.

The ABAE Co-ordinator explained that the maximum capacity of the beaches will take into account “the recommendations” of the DGS, namely, “what is the safe space between shades and umbrellas” and the required physical distance between people.

“More practical questions have to be addressed regarding the cleaning of spaces, the use of masks, the actual use of terraces and bars – whether it is permissible and if so under what conditions – the walkways, the showers, slides, deckchairs and even seagulls; all of these will be subject to much tighter hygiene procedures,” he stressed.

However, Catarina Gonçalves said that on the beaches it is “much more complicated” to implement these measures, since “you cannot put a yellow ribbon” to define the space used by bathers.

For this reason, the inspection “will have to be approached differently” and the responsible person should expect that “common sense” will be applied by bathers to comply with the rules and guidelines that will be established.

“We are very concerned with urban areas, as they do not have an entrance and an exit from the beach. The entire promenade, for example, is a beach entrance, which makes imposing restrictions very difficult.

Citizens with impaired hearing now have access to a video call service platform at the Contact Center of the National Health Service – SNS24. This line started operating on April 21, and has six Portuguese Sign Language interpreters who will provide assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to ensure the clarification of these people.

Armed forces can disinfect the establishments and CEMGFA guarantees perfect coordination with the PSP and GNR in combating the pandemic.

The military will have an important role in the process of reopening high schools for the 11th and 12th years of compulsory schooling, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (CEMGFA), admiral Silva Ribeiro, revealed this Tuesday.

“Sixty teams from the Army and Navy will participate in security measures in schools, from the training of teachers and staff to raising students’ awareness,” said CEMGFA, in a hearing at the parliamentary defence committee.

The military chief said that this intervention will be carried out in 800 schools with the preparation of a manual, which in some cases will involve disinfection operations, and was coordinated between the ministries of Education, Health, Defence and the branches.

“This is not a security crisis in the country, the security forces have complied perfectly,” he repeated several times about the need for greater involvement of the Armed Forces in measures to prevent the coronavirus pandemic.

As for the mobilization of military personnel for border control, “If that becomes necessary… But in these circumstances, from what we have seen, there is no need,” he said.

“The articulation of the Armed Forces with the Security Forces has been perfect”, he reiterated, and revealed that during the covid-19 crisis he has already held two meetings with the Secretary-General of the Internal Security System (SSI), Helena Fazenda, one of which happened this Tuesday morning.

About the 7800 volunteers who responded favourably to CEMGFA’s appeal, mostly military personnel in the reserve or family members of military personnel, Admiral Silva Ribeiro explained his initiative. “It has nothing to do with a shortage of personnel, but with the spirit of solidarity and the sense of service of the military family,” he said.

In fact, he maintained that the military will be available for the diversity of actions required: from logistical support to civil protection to searches. At this point, the Air Force will deploy 12 drones for the next forest fire campaign.

Lisbon, April 20, 2020 (Lusa) – About 700 thousand individual protection equipment were sent today from the Military Laboratory, in Lisbon, where they were stored, to reinforce care homes across the country, being distributed by the district Social Security centers, announced the minister.

The Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Ana Mendes Godinho, was today at the Military Laboratory of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Products, in Lisbon, together with the Minister of National Defence, João Gomes Cravinho, and with the Assistant Secretary of State and Health , Jamila Madeira, to watch the lifting of the equipment, which were in the custody of that institution.

“These trucks come to serve as support and reinforcement for care homes, for all professionals who work in care homes and residential homes where people with disabilities live”, explained Ana Mendes Godinho, adding that the goal is to reinforce care homes with personal protective equipment, which they include not only surgical masks but also full equipment to deal with people who have tested positive for covid-19.

According to the minister, “today, about 700 thousand individual protective equipment are part of this cargo”, having already had a first delivery two weeks ago with around 200 thousand, the goal being “to reach the whole country”.

“They will be distributed through the district social security centers, which will make the distribution by the institutions at the level of each district and that will happen today with this transport that is happening, with the three trucks that will be taken across the country”, she added.

According to Ana Mendes Godinho, “two more distributions are planned to be made due to this permanent articulation that has been taking place with Infarmed and the Social Security Institute and with associations representing the social sector”, which identified the needs in the different institutions.

In the perspective of the Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, “the Armed Forces have played a key role in supporting this entire population that is in homes”.

For his part, Jamila Madeira explained that it is material purchased “within the scope of the acquisitions that the Ministry of Health makes for the National Health Service and for the ministries and the State that provide essential services to the pandemic operation covid-19”.

“All the material is aggregated here and then distributed to different entities”, he explained.

“The National Health Service is our biggest consumer and our biggest concern because it is people who are in the first line of combat, but the Ministry of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security is also the one that deals with the group at greatest risk, the elderly, and to protect home professionals ”, he justified.

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.