Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 10th April 2024
Good morning. Some fine weather ahead. Temperatures begin to rise this Wednesday “well above average for the time of year”, according to IPMA. From Thursday onwards, maximum temperatures will vary between 25 and 28C, although possibly lower across the entire coastal strip and in the Algarve. In some places in the Douro Valley (innermost part) and Alto Alentejo, temperatures of 30 degrees are possible.
With the fine weather we ask people to take care when heading to beaches as there are no lifeguards in place at most beaches. A reminder to be on the lookout for rip currents and if caught in one do not try and swim against the current towards the shore, but instead swim parallel to the shore and when the current is no longer felt turn and head towards the shoreline.
Yesterday I made a visit to the GNR at their headquarters in Lisbon primarily to discuss the crime figures, which were published last week. It was confirmed that we will need to wait for the RASI Homeland Security Report, which contains more details. The GNR wanted emphasise was the cause of the crime increases. It appeared from our discussions that fraud was a main factor as well as opportunist crime, which we had already highlighted. Both of these crimes are preventable and the advice is for everyone to take more care of their belongings in public areas and ensure their property is secure when leaving home. As far as on-line fraud crime is concerned to take care that the sites visited are genuine.
Another factor highlighted was youth crime in particular those under 12 years of age, which is disturbing. Much of this it is believed from recent studies is attributable to stress resulting from the Covid pandemic period, with a consequential increase in violent behaviour. We will be examining this shortly, result from a study that has been undertaken in delinquency and violent behaviour.
Whilst in Lisbon I also visited the new British Ambassador Lisa Bandari and the new British Vice Consul Jocelyn McCall Ferreira. The meeting mainly focused on the work of the Safe Communities and its development since 2011. We also discussed climate change and the importance of awareness and preparedness for natural hazards in order to reduce the impact of disasters, the crime situation, the GNR Safe Residence Program and Safe Communities Emergency Medical card. Also discussed was the continuity of government programs affecting our work under the new government.
A reminder for those who have not yet undertaken our Preparedness for Natural Hazards Survey, to do so as soon as possible please. This will give more in depth information of the level of awareness of the foreign community on this subject and more important the level of awareness. The survey and explanatory note can be found here. https://forms.gle/aaZQCCkL9Xf53Dgo9
A reminder of our Safe Communities Portugal Protection against Natural Disasters Facebook group which now comprises some 3300 members. This group provides important information concerning the effects of climate change, extreme weather conditions and being prepared for disasters, such as rural fires, earthquakes as well as the drought situation. The aim is to develop knowledge on various topics including metrological conditions so people are forewarned well in advance, and can be more prepared thus reducing the impact of disasters. As we approach the main rural fire season preparedness is very important in order to reduce the risks to our properties, family and ourselves.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/safecommunitiesportugalprotectionnaturaldisasters
We wish you a safe week ahead.
News
European Union praises Portugal’s plan to prevent discrimination by security forces
In a European report on racism in the police, the agency recalled that the Portuguese plan includes measures that include “communication strategies to encourage greater diversity of recruits, both in terms of gender and racial or ethnic origin”
The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights praised this Wednesday Portugal’s plan to prevent discrimination in security forces and services, promoting diversity in recruitment.
In a European report on racism in the police, the agency recalled that the Portuguese plan includes measures that include “communication strategies to encourage greater diversity of recruits, both in terms of gender and racial or ethnic origin”.
The “plan provides for the appointment of a person responsible for human rights” for the Judiciary Police, Public Security Police and National Republican Guard and “establishes and reinforces preventive intervention mechanisms in the event of discriminatory behaviour on the part of agents”.
“In 2022, the first annual monitoring report recommended that all police forces harmonize their internal rules on discrimination, adopt new measures to prevent discriminatory behaviour and promote training actions on the issue of discrimination”, highlights the agency.
In the report, the agency highlights that Portugal is one of the ten countries that have specific legislation on “the prohibition of racial or ethnic discrimination” and one of the four in which the “police law enshrines non-discrimination among the fundamental principles of their activities “.
The Plan to Prevent Manifestations of Discrimination in the Security Forces and Services has existed since 2020 and aims to combat racism and any type of discrimination in the police.
It was in this context that the General Inspectorate of Internal Administration (IGAI) began training last year with commanders of GNR posts and PSP police stations on combating any type of discrimination in the police.
Coordinated by IGAI, the plan binds the GNR and PSP to reinforce areas of intervention from recruitment to training, the interaction of members of the security forces with other citizens and among themselves (including on social media), promoting the image of the police and communication, preventive and monitoring mechanisms for manifestations of discrimination.
Government program is approved today by the Council of Ministers and delivered to parliament
Lisbon, April 10, 2024 (Lusa) – The program of the XXIV Constitutional Government will be delivered to the Assembly of the Republic today at the end of the morning, after being approved by the Council of Ministers.
The document will be delivered to the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, at 11:45 and, half an hour later, the press conference of the Council of Ministers is scheduled, which will meet at 09:00 hrs, at the prime minister’s official residence, to approve the document.
This Council of Ministers had been announced on Saturday by the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, at an informal meeting that brought together the entire Government in Óbidos, and in which he told the media that work on the program was already “very advanced”.
“There is always articulation, coordination and writing work, but we will continue the work in the coming days. We will have a meeting of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday at 9:00 am where we will approve the Government Program and send it to parliament “, he then said.
On that occasion, the Prime Minister also assured that “the campaign commitments must be fulfilled”.
On Tuesday afternoon, the president of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, had already informed that a symbolic moment of delivery of the Government’s program to parliament by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Pedro Duarte, was being agreed, which will take place at the end of the leaders conference.
Last week, at the end of the executive’s first Council of Ministers, the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, refused to answer whether or not the Government’s program will have many differences in relation to the electoral program.
In the AD electoral program (pre-electoral coalition between PSD, CDS-PP and PPM for the March 10 elections), among other commitments, it is expected to present an Emergency Plan for the National Health Service (SNS) in the first 60 days of the executive and the full recovery of teachers’ frozen service time in a phased manner over the next five years (at a rate of 20% per year)
Reduction of IRS rates up to the 8th income bracket (between 0.5 and three percentage points), a maximum IRS of 15% for young people up to 35 years of age and the reduction of the IRC rate from the current 21% to 15 % in three years (at the rate of two percentage points per year) are other promises expressed in the AD electoral program, along with the increase in the National Minimum Wage to 1,000 euros by the end of the legislature, the evolution of the average salary to 1,750 euros and the increase from the reference value of the Solidarity Supplement for the Elderly (CSI) to 820 euros in 2028.
The Program of the XXIV Constitutional Government will be presented and discussed in the Assembly of the Republic between Thursday and Friday and, once the debate is concluded, the executive will take on full functions. The PCP announced a motion to reject the document, but the PS has already said it cannot be made viable.
Meteorologist Mara João Frada explained that the mass of cold air that is currently on the continent will be gradually replaced by a mass of hot, tropical air.
During a maritime patrol and surveillance action south of Tavira , the Navy ship NRP Cassiopeia detected a Spanish fishing vessel carrying out illegal fishing activity using seine gear in the early hours of Wednesday. On board were more than three tons of sardines, the capture of which is prohibited until May 1, 2024, due to the species’ closed season.
As was the case in most of the country, most specific crimes increased compared with 2022. The figures are as follows but should be considered preliminary pending the publication of the RASI report. For the Algarve specifically;
Turning to the weather the 15th storm of the 2023-2024 season has been named OLIVIA, which will directly affect the Azores today Wednesday, April 3rd. Storm OLIVIA is expected to cause a significant increase in wind intensity, with gusts that could reach 110 km/h in the Western Group (Corvo and Flores) and 100 km/h in the Central Group (Pico, Faial, S. Jorge, Graciosa and Terceira). It is expected in the Azores, especially in the Western Islands, that rough seas waves that can reach up to 7m in height and up to 12m in maximum height. Indirectly it will affect Mainland Portugal, some wind, strong sea agitation and change of weather (again) at the weekend. Please monitor the situation through any warning issued by the IPMA and ANEPC, and keep well away from shore lines.
The Gaia Espinho Local Health Unit heliport, which can operate at night, is being built on top of a five-story building, where the emergency department is located, as well as the intensive care and neurocritical care units.
Despite the increase seen in the last month, the amount of water retained in the windward basin was far from the average, which is 74.1%. In February this basin was at 12.5% of its capacity and in January it was at 9.4%.
Of the 22,263 drivers monitored during the operation, 303 were driving with excess alcohol and 165 were arrested for driving with a blood alcohol level greater than 1.2 g/l.
An earthquake measuring 2.7 on the Richter scale, with an epicentre about four kilometres east of Serreta, on the island of Terceira, was felt on the 31st of March at 12:29 (13:29 Lisbon), according to IPMA.
On Sunday, the Portuguese Navy ended the search for the Indonesian crew member off the island of São Miguel who fell into the sea last Friday.
This season is characterised by the reunion of families in their regions of origin and, as it corresponds to the school holiday period, a significant increase in road traffic on Portuguese roads is expected. In this sense, the Guard, through the military from the Territorial Commands and Traffic Detachments, will have the “Easter 2024” operation underway, which aims to ensure the safety and protection of people, which goes beyond road inspection and the effort is also aimed at festivities, their surroundings, residential and commercial areas, as well as the most critical road traffic routes. The inspection period for the greatest road patrol effort, on the most critical roads, will be between the beginning of March 28th and April 1st, a period when the highest volume of traffic is expected.
“We are going to build the first large desalination plant in the Algarve area, in Albufeira , and it is so important for the region”, highlighted José Pimenta Machado.
In a desperate bid to scare off the attacker, Alison told him that her watch had alerted police, which led the man to flee while also stealing her watch. The Malaysian-born runner believes that the attack may have been “premeditated” as she spotted a piece of tarpaulin and a water bottle nearby. Alison was quick to praise the GNR.“The GNR were absolutely ace though, could not have faulted them. They were so quick and there were about 4-5 cars and vans and a cute dog to find the culprit. He’s still out and about so…,” wrote the athlete, who holds the record solo time for a 300km route called the Smog Graham Round which features the highest points in all 32 boroughs of London.
All this changed overnight Monday/Tuesday with the arrival of a polar air mass resulting in a drop in temperatures in excess of 15C and on Tuesday the issue of various IPMA Weather warnings including for snow affecting 11 districts. Currently there are orange level warnings in place for 10 districts for rough seas. The ANEPC has issued warnings and has given advice regarding how to keep safe, which we shared. We emphasise the importance of following this advice, particularly avoiding getting to close to shorelines, where there are strong winds carrying beach debris that can be swept in high waves onto coastal roads/promenades etc.
To help with this a survey has been developed by Kirsten Cook, who has a background in wildfire preparedness, in which Safe Communities Portugal would like to learn about your concerns, level of preparedness, and ideas to become more aware and prepared for natural hazards. Please take a few minutes to fill in this survey and help us evaluate the readiness of residents of Portugal to cope with natural hazards and reducing the impacts of such disasters. The results will be shared with Civil Protection and made public. If you have not completed please kindly do so here: Please ONLY complete if you own or rent a property in Portugal
The summer was very hot in terms of air temperature and normal in terms of precipitation. It was the sixth hottest summer in the last 93 years. And the autumn was very warm and rainy, being the fourth warmest in the last 93 years and the new wettest.
Flight AV17 was approximately six hours and forty minutes from its destination when it turned back and made an emergency landing on the island of São Miguel, so that the passenger could be assisted.
According to the hospital, by using physiological sensors in cardiac devices, this algorithm identifies patients at risk of cardiac decompensation and allows intervention by the medical team following the patient, in order to avoid hospitalization for heart failure, which is a recognized causes of increased mortality in the population.
According to a hospital source, medical evacuation did not occur, given the “reserved clinical condition” of the victim, who remains hospitalized at Hospital da Horta, in an induced coma.
A new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a United Nations agency, shows that records have been broken, and in some cases “pulverized,” in terms of greenhouse gas levels, surface temperatures, heat content and ocean acidification, sea level rise, extension of the Antarctic ice sheet and retreat of glaciers.
Among the main conclusions of the global report, it is highlighted that only seven countries complied with the WHO’s annual directive (Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand), that a third of the population in Africa does not have access to data on air quality, that PM2.5 concentrations have increased in almost all Southeast Asian countries, and that the 10 most polluted cities in the world are in Asia.