The Minister of Internal Affairs of Portugal, Miguel Macedo, and the Interior Minister of Spain, Jorge Fernández Díaz, announced the launch joint patrols by the security forces of the two countries over Easter. This measure aims to ensure a police service in their own language for Spanish and Portuguese nationals travelling across the border during the Holy Week vacation.
The joint patrols fall within the “European Squadrons” project that was jointly presented for the first time in Lisbon on March 25, 2013, referred the Ministries responsible for internal security of the two countries.
This is the second year the project has been conducted and takes into account the movements of Portuguese and Spanish tourist in certain areas in both countries including Torremolinos and Benalmadena in Spain from 5th – 14th April and Lisbon and Braga in Portugal from 16th – 21st April.
During XXVI Luso-Spanish Summit, held in Madrid on 13th May 2013, the two ministers decided to reissue this initiative and agreed on conducting joint patrols during holiday Holy Week 2014.