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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.

The prime minister announced today that 11 million euros worth of works are underway across the country to carry out the national plan for the construction of fire risk interruption strips.

“Preventing the risk of fire is a mission that the State has and, now that we finally have the Court of Auditors’ visa, a number of works are already underway across the country in order to build and execute the plan,” he said. António Costa, speaking at the celebrations of the International Civil Protection Day, in Quarteira, Algarve.

In the Prime Minister’s opinion, it is up to “all citizens and every day” to act to prevent the risk of fire ”.

“It is everyone’s responsibility to prevent this risk. We cannot all expect that when the tragedy happens, we call here ‘D’El Rei’, pray to Santa Barbara or complain about the air that doesn’t arrive, the fireman who doesn’t show up, or demand from any Civil Protection agent what it is up to all of us to do it ”, he pointed out.

In the Prime Minister’s opinion, “it was very important that the whole community was aware that it was essential to make the effort to clean at the edge of the communication routes, around the houses, around each village, each village or each urban cluster ”.

“But, it is very important that things went better in 2018 and in 2019 that nobody forgets that the risk has not disappeared. That is why we have to clean the bush in order to prevent the risk of fire in 2020 ”, he pointed out.

António Costa presided today at the International Civil Protection Day ceremonies that took place in the municipality of Loulé, where he inaugurated two infrastructures of ANEPC, CREPC do Algarve, located in the city of Loulé, and the Logistical Support Base (BAL) in Quarteira.

The new CREPC facilities will add the command of emergency operations, civil protection and relief, the institutional and operational coordination of the regional structure of Civil Protection, the integrated command of all fire departments and the management of emergency means and resources.

BAL will support emergency, protection and rescue operations, with equipment storage capacity, supply and parking of reinforcement means, as well as the installation of an immediate response force from the municipal firefighters of Loulé, with relief, combat fire and medical emergency.

The investment in the two structures amounted to 2.6 million euros, supported by 85% by community funds, with the Câmara de Loulé secured the remaining 15%.

The ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Internal Administration, the president of the National Civil Protection Authority, several secretaries of state, deputies and mayors.

On March 1, Civil Protection Day is celebrated, instituted worldwide by the International Civil Protection Organization (OIPC) and nationally by Order of the Minister for Internal Administration.

To mark the date, the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) has programmed several initiatives that will take place, either at its headquarters, in Carnaxide, or in other areas of the country, during the month of March, through the respective District Operations Commands of Relief (CDOS).

Saturday, February 29

THE PRIME MINISTER OFFICIATES AT THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF THE NEW BUILDINGS OF THE EMERGENCY AND CIVIL PROTECTION REGIONAL COMMAND AND THE ALGARVE LOGISTIC SUPPORT BASE.

The National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection, together with the City Council of Loulé, will hold tomorrow, February 29, at 10:30 am, the evocative national session of Civil Protection Day, with the inauguration of the Regional Command for Emergency and Civil Protection (CREPC), in Loulé, and one of the five national Logistical Support Bases (BAL), in Quarteira.

The ceremony, chaired by S.E. Prime Minister António Costa, will be attended by the Minister of Internal Administration, High Entities of the Ministry of Internal Administration and other Ministries, by the Hon. Mr. President of the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection, Lieutenant-General Carlos Mourato Nunes, and of senior dignitaries of the most diverse Entities that are part of the civil protection

This day will also be honoured those who, having demonstrated a high civic sense and genuine commitment to the cause of the common good, lost their lives in the service of Civil Protection, as a result of protection and relief operations.

As this is a public ceremony, it will have a static exhibition of means and resources of the various Civil Protection Agents, in the area adjacent to the BAL do Algarve, in Quarteira, open to the population from 10:00 to 17:00 hours.

4th and 5th of March

DAY OPEN TO SCHOOLS AND THE PUBLIC – EXPOSURE OF MEANS AND OPERATIONAL EQUIPMENT (DEMONSTRATIONS).

On March 4 and 5, the day is open to schools and the public. During these two days, ANEPC’s facilities, in Carnaxide, will be open to students from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycles of basic education, and to the general public, with exposure of the means and operational equipment of the various agents and civil protection services and various activities, with special emphasis on kinotechnical demonstration sessions by the National Guard (search and rescue), extrication techniques by Fire Brigades and the Civil Protection Special Force of ANEPC, and other awareness actions in the field of civil protection.

From the north to the south of the country, throughout the month of March, the District Commands of Relief Operations of ANEPC, will also mark the date, promoting, in partnership with the Humanitarian Associations of Firefighters, Municipal Civil Protection Services and other Agents of Civil Protection, activities for different audiences, such as simulations, exhibitions and / or reflection days.

In Portugal and in the world, the celebration of the date aims to raise awareness of the importance of civil protection, in safeguarding human life, property, cultural and environmental heritage in the face of serious accidents and catastrophes; pay tribute to all civil protection agents and promote reflection and dialogue around the risks to which populations and territories are subject, and the role that each of us, citizens, plays in the collective effort to create resilient communities, most developed societies.

According to the International Civil Protection Organization, the theme of the International Civil Protection Day 2020 is the following “Civil Protection and First Aider in every Home”.

The theme underlines the fundamental role that a well-prepared citizen plays in the event of an emergency or catastrophe, as protection and relief services will never be sufficient to provide all the necessary care. In these circumstances, citizens have an important mission to protect their lives and those of their neighbours (family, neighbour and community), help those in need (according to previously trained and apprehended procedures), inform their community and the authorities and agents of civil protection.

Today, citizens are simultaneously protagonists and active agents of civil protection, in the right to information about the risks to which they are subjected in their daily lives, and in the duty to adopt preventive measures and appropriate self-protection behaviours.

The Spanish police today announced the arrest of 47 people, including a Portuguese, involved in a drug trafficking network for sexual dysfunction from Asia to several European countries, including Portugal.

In a “major operation” against illegal drug trafficking in several Spanish provinces, 47 people were arrested, “all of whom are Spanish nationals, except for a Portuguese citizen”, who were accused of crimes against public health, belonging to a criminal organization, fraud, smuggling and money laundering.

According to a statement from the Civil Guard (corresponding to the GNR), the sale of illegal drugs was made throughout Spain, as well as in countries such as Portugal, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Russia.

The leader of the criminal network was arrested in Dubai, where he was hiding, and was wanted with three international arrest warrants.

The chain imported large quantities of medicines from Malaysia, such as Tadalafil and Sildenafil, active ingredients diagnosed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, passing them on as natural food supplements.

12 home searches were carried out, 55 inspections of places of sale of this type of product, as well as 59 internet pages and 39 bank accounts were blocked.

“These products, once handled in our country [Spain], were intended to be sold in places such as gyms, health food stores, sex shops and over the internet”, explains the police statement.

The investigation started more than a year ago and was initiated by an anonymous complaint that caused several customs shipments from Malaysia, suspected of containing active ingredients of drugs without being declared as such, to be followed.