Environment agency gives tentative green light to lithium mine // Santos Populares summer festas begin
Portuguese news in English on Monday, June 5, 2023.
Environment agency gives tentative green light to lithium mine
Portugal’s environment agency (APA) has given a tentative green light to a controversial lithium mine in the country’s north, Lusa reports. Mining company Savannah welcomed the “favourable” environmental impact statement, describing it as a “very positive step for the project”. The agency said the British miner would have to comply with multiple conditions, including socioeconomic compensation such as royalties to the local municipality of Boticas, in Vila Real. Portugal is Europe’s largest lithium producer but its mostly of lower quality and used in the ceramics industry rather than destined for electric car batteries, Reuters reports, in English. The approval is a boost for the continent’s electric car industry, given the mine’s goal of producing enough lithium for half a million EVs a year, the Financial Times reports, in English. In the part of Trás-os-Montes where the mining is set to begin, some think it will help energise the area, but many have strong concerns about pollution, water quality and health, Público reports.
Students left without protection from huge rent increases
Many students in Lisbon and Porto are being left virtually unprotected from large rent increases because of the way the law treats the rapidly growing number of private university residences, Público reports. Francisco Lisboa, 19, is paying €695 for a 14m2 room in a private residence in Campo Pequeno, the best he could find in terms of quality and price. When he found out in April he’d have to pay another €100 a month to stay, he decided to investigate what protections he had against such an increase and found a surprising answer. While rent increases are limited to 2% in 2023, these residences are considered services, not housing, so he doesn’t have any of the normal rights a tenant would have. There’s no legislation covering these type of contracts but some experts say it’s something that should be looked at, particularly if their popularity continues to increase.
A guide to the Santos Populares summer festas
June is here and that means party time in Lisbon. The mammoth Santos Populares festivities that dominate the capital for the whole month have already begun and Diário de Notícias has a guide (you’ll have to translate the webpage but it’s good for seeing what’s on near you) for what’s happening in every neighbourhood. Santos no Tejo, on the Doca da Marinha near Terreiro do Paço is calling itself the biggest celebration in town, and the newspaper thinks it will also be one of the best.
Quim Barreiros, the king of the pimba music genre defined by almost-childlike piano and accordion music and secretly filthy lyrics, has already played there and in Santos but performs tonight in Misericórdia and in Campolide later this week. Other Santos classics to familiarise yourself with before heading along to tuck into sardines and imperiais galore are fadista Amália’s more traditional Cheira a Lisboa and Toy’s comparatively modern Coração Não Tem Idade. In other Santos news, the winners of the annual Concurso Sardinhas design competition have been crowned from almost 1600 entrants hailing from 64 countries including Bangladesh, Brazil, Scotland and Ukraine, Diário de Notícias reports.
In brief
PM denies authorising spy service to recover computer taken by former ministerial adviser. Costa said the suggestion to contact the intelligence agency came from the chief-of-staff of the Minister of Infrastructure, not him or his secretary of state. (Público)
Lisbon 'will be in chaos' for World Youth Day. Lisbon auxiliary bishop Américo Aguiar says he’s doing everything he can to reduce the inconveniences brought on by the huge Catholic Church event from August 1–6 as much as possible. (Lusa)
Volkswagen to build new hybrid model in Portugal. Workers at Palmela’s Autoeuropa think the next step for the 5000-person factory will be to start making fully electric vehicles.
High-speed rail linking Porto and Lisbon would be profitable at €25 a ticket. A study by an international consultancy firm commissioned by Infra-Estruturas de Portugal (the state-owned company responsible for the national road and rail network) found a normal operator could make a decent profit, assuming an average occupancy of 70% and higher rail network fees. (Públic)
Lisbon City Council suspends granting of Alojamento Local licences in Beato. The parish passed the limit of 2.5%, bringing to 16 out of 24 the number of zones were the short-term letting licences are suspended.
On a lighter note
Cows on a roundabout, that’s the whole thing. Just look at how majestically these beasts guard the road in Soajo, as photographed by Teresa Araújo in the small village in the Peneda-Gerês National Park. Have a great week!