Hundreds of thousands of applications remain before SEF abolition // New government effort to combat interest rates
Portuguese news in English on Monday, September 25, 2023.
Hundreds of thousands of requests remain before SEF abolition
With about a month left until the extinction of the Portuguese Immigration and Border Service (SEF), hundreds of thousands of residency visa requests remain unprocessed, Diário de Notícias reports. SEF wouldn’t provide the exact details but inspectors and administrative staff put the number at 270,000 declarations of interest filled out through the SAPA automatic online system that are still outstanding. About 1000 requests are coming in every day, according to an official SEF source, and a good part of the outstanding requests are still waiting for the applicants to deliver the necessary documents. Even still, it potentially leaves a huge backlog for the new Portuguese Agency for Minorities, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) to take over from October 29. The agency, which is meant to inherit only SEF’s administrative functions, is still yet to train anyone regarding asylum requests, meaning the existing officers will likely be needed. Efforts to train PSP police officers to substitute the old SEF functions are leaving airport police stations extremely short of staff and causing problems throughout the country, Diário de Notícias reports.
New government effort to combat interest rates
The government has announced three new measures to help families with their home loans, Dinheiro Vivo reports. The plans aim to reduce and stabilise monthly repayments through interest rate relief, simplifying assistance for less-well-off buyers and extending a pause on a charge for paying off mortgages early. The measures, announced after the Council of Ministers last week, include an option to limit the Euribor rate benchmark interest rate to 70% of the actual rate. With the six-month Euribor rate at 4.1%, the move would effectively cut the rate to 2.85% on capital repayments, meaning a saving of about €150 a month for someone with monthly repayments of about €1150 on a €200,000 loan, Público reports. Interest would still be repaid at the market value, and the repayments on the capital will have to be made later, in a fairly complex formula staggered over the remaining period of the loan.
Supreme Court rules on relocation of Eça de Queirós’ body
The Supreme Court has decided not to block the relocation of the body of one of Portugal’s most famous writers to the National Pantheon, Público reports. Six great grandchildren of the 19th century realist Eça de Queirós had filed urgent legal action to stop the repatriation, which was due to be carried out in a ceremony this Wednesday. Of the other 16 living grandchildren, 13 were in favour of the move and three didn’t take a position. The judges’ decision rejects an initial emergency injunction application but it could be weeks before a final decision is made on whether or not the remains can be moved, at which point the ceremony will be rescheduled. The pantheon houses the tombs of many of Portugal’s most famous historical figures, such as kings, explorers and other writers.
In brief
Social Democratic Party (PSD) talks with People-Animals-Nature (PAN) and Liberal Initiative (IL) to form government in Madeira. In regional elections, incumbent leader Miguel Albuquerque lost the majority he had held with the Popular Party (CDS) and started negotiating. (Público)
Revealed: almost everyone in Europe is breathing toxic air. A new analysis shows 98% of people live in areas with fine particulate pollution exceeding WHO guidelines, including in Portugal. (The Guardian, in English)
Prime minister flags privatising TAP 'in its entirety'. António Costa said the government wanted to rid itself of part or all of the capital, depending on the interests of the company. (Público)
Epidemiologist says 10 people dying a day with COVID-19 on average. Manuel Carmo Gomes said there were about 200-300 new cases a day but this was a “large underestimation” because the majority of people no longer report their infection. (Público)
Airport passengers have right to €89.6 million in compensation for flight disruptions. From June to August 1200 flights were cancelled and 24,000 delayed, affecting 3.5 million out of 10 million passengers leaving Portugal. In Lisbon, 47% of flights were affected. (Diário de Notícias).
On a lighter note
If you’ve been reading for a while, you’ll have read me waxing lyrical about the many and varied charms of the humble tasca. The traditional restaurants with cheap and often hearty food and a character all of their own sit at the heart of Portuguese dining and I just bloody love them. Tiago Pais’ The 50 Best Tascas in Lisbon was our bible when my partner Daniela and I first moved here. Several of the spots have unfortunately closed or changed significantly and, more importantly, it’s no help at all outside of the capital. Fortunately, as Público reports, António Catarino e Rui Cardoso have now produced As 100 Melhores Tascas de Portugal (Portugal’s 100 Best Tascas). It’s unfortunately only available in Portuguese but maybe it could be an extra incentive for any food lover to improve their Portuguese (or do some extensive Google Translate work).