Portugal Safe and Security Report Thursday 8th January 2026
Good afternoon everyone and welcome to our first weekly report of 2026.
In 2026, several measures adopted by the Government will come into effect, aligned with clear priorities in valuing work, social cohesion, and modernizing the State. We have selected the following which are relevant to our remit: 1. Control of illegal immigration and the integration of legal immigrants are strengthened within the framework of the structural reform of immigration policy; 2. The new rules for admission to the PSP (Public Security Police) come into effect, adjusting recruitment criteria to current needs, in order to strengthen public security; 3. Fifty infrastructure improvements for the PSP (Public Security Police) and GNR (National Republican Guard) have been completed, aimed at improving working conditions for officers and military personnel and strengthening the connection between security forces and the public; 4. The manufacture, modification, transport, purchase, possession, or operation of illegal speedboats is criminalized, and more effective sanctions and new penalties are created for criminals to address the growing sophistication of criminal networks, particularly those involved in drug and human trafficking; 5. The “Active Forest” program continues with the launch of new calls for proposals to support the active management and maintenance of forest areas, particularly on smallholdings, promoting resilience, biodiversity and forest enhancement, with a budget of 10 million euros.
An intense cold wave and snowfall is affecting several European countries, causing the closure of hundreds of schools, flight cancellations, disruption of public transport, and road accidents. France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Spain, and Bosnia-Herzegovina are registering record low temperatures. Several European countries are being affected by cold weather including Portugal where temperatures dropped to below zero at 40 IPMA on-line weather stations at 0700 hrs yesterday morning with the lowest being minus -6.5C.
Unfortunately at the start of the year there were two shooting incidents, one in Lisbon and the other in Silves in the Algarve. On Saturday night, two hooded men fired dozens of shots at the facade of a house in Silves, in the Algarve, while a family with two minors was inside. The shooters have not yet been identified, and it is suspected that they used an automatic military weapon. They arrived shortly before midnight, their faces covered, and fired dozens of shots at the facade of a house. The shots were captured by the surveillance camera of the house next door. This is being investigated by the Judicial Police.
The second incident refers to images circulating on social media of a group firing automatic and semi-automatic weapons during New Year’s Eve celebrations in the Alfredo Bensaúde neighbourhood, Olivais, Lisbon. Carlos Moedas Mayor of Lisbon, stated this Monday that situations like this, are “unacceptable”. The Mayor was speaking after a restricted meeting of the Municipal Security Council, attended only by officers from the Municipal Police and the Lisbon Metropolitan Command of the PSP (Public Security Police), which also served to assess security in the capital. The mayor added that the PSP (Public Security Police) will be “more present and with more special crime prevention operations,” which will be “constantly and permanently increased” in the “coming weeks and months.” The mayor has called for an extra 500 PSP agents for Lisbon.
We are very concerned about what has happened particularly the availability of apparent military calibre weapons being used on the streets in Lisbon and Silves.
Given recent international developments, we support Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced yesterday (6th January 2025) that Portugal, together with its European partners, subscribes to the following declaration on Greenland: “Security in the Arctic remains a fundamental priority for Europe and is crucial for international and transatlantic security. NATO has made it clear that the Arctic region is a priority, and European Allies are strengthening their presence, activities, and investments to maintain Arctic security and deter adversaries. Greenland belongs to its people. It is up to Denmark and Greenland, and only to them, to decide on matters relating to Denmark and Greenland.”
We wish all our readers a Very Happy and Safe New Year
News
Lisbon Airport reinforced with 24 GNR (National Republican Guard) officers to reduce queues at arrivals.
Lisbon airport had already been reinforced with 80 PSP officers during the Christmas and New Year period due to long waiting times.
Lisbon airport is being reinforced this Tuesday with 24 members of the National Republican Guard (GNR), a measure by the Government to reduce waiting times in the arrivals area.
According to GNR spokesperson Carlos Canatário, who spoke to Lusa news agency, the 24 officers will work in “flexible shifts,” composed of teams of 10 members and a supervisor, and will be stationed in the arrivals area to check documentation.
The military personnel now reinforcing Lisbon airport have certified training in border control and received “purely administrative” training on Friday and Monday from the PSP (Public Security Police), the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC), and ANA (Aeroportos de Portugal).
For now, the GNR (National Republican Guard) added, it is unknown how long the military personnel will remain at Humberto Delgado Airport.
In addition to this measure to reduce queues, the Government has decided to suspend the European border control system for non-EU citizens, known as the European Union Entry/Exit System (EES), for three months at Lisbon airport, with the European Commission already stating that it will request “more details” from Portugal regarding this interruption.
Lisbon airport had already been reinforced with 80 PSP officers during the Christmas and New Year period due to long waiting times.
The new European border control system for non-EU citizens came into operation on October 12 in Portugal and the rest of the Schengen Area, and since then waiting times have worsened, especially at Lisbon airport, with passengers sometimes having to wait for several hours.
The bar that caught fire in Switzerland had not been inspected since 2020.
The mayor of Crans-Montana discovered “a failure to carry out periodic inspections” at the site between 2020 and 2025.
The bar at a ski resort in Crans-Mointanana, Switzerland, which caught fire during a New Year’s Eve party, killing 40 people, had not been inspected since 2020.
In a press conference this Tuesday, the mayor of Crans-Montana, Nicolas Feraud, said he “deeply regrets” discovering “a failure in carrying out periodic inspections” at the site between 2020 and 2025.
The last inspection report for Le Constellation, from 2019, did not mention any problems. The soundproof foam lining the bar ceiling was not considered a risk.
As a preventative measure to avoid this type of accident, ‘rocket’ candles have been banned in enclosed spaces, the mayor announced.
According to initial findings of the investigation, the fire that started on the ceiling of the room was likely ignited by sparks from these candles, which were placed in champagne bottles.
Authorities have closed another establishment run by the managers of Le Constellation, who, according to the Valais regional prosecutor, are suspected of involuntary manslaughter, involuntary bodily harm, and arson.
The French couple told the newspaper La Tribune de Genève that the establishment had been inspected three times in ten years and that “everything was in compliance with the regulations.”