Massive tunnel planned after deadly Lisbon floods // Euthanasia law awaits presidential approval again
Portuguese news in English on Sunday, December 11, 2022.
Massive tunnel planned after deadly Lisbon floods
Following devastating flooding that inundated many Lisbon suburbs, leaving one person dead, the city’s mayor says work will begin on a major drainage tunnel next year, Diário de Notícias reports. Carlos Moedas insisted Wednesday’s problems, which included about 100 people evacuated from homes in Amadora, would not have occurred had the five-metre-wide tunnel from Campolide to Santa Apolónia existed. He said the tunnel, set to be finished in 2025, had been on the drawing board for 20 years but there were no firm plans in place when he took office last year.
The lady who died was in her Algés basement apartment when it was flooded, Público reports. Her partner was able to save himself but the woman, variously described as being in her 50s or 70s, died. Lisbon recorded about three-quarters of its 126mm December average rainfall on Wednesday night, Diário de Notícias reports. There were almost 2000 wet weather incidents across the country, almost half of them in the capital. Moedas said the water flooded homes, businesses, metro and train stations, turned roads into rivers and turned the Campo Grande tunnel into a “three-metre deep swimming pool”.
Euthanasia law awaits presidential approval again
Portugal’s proposed medically assisted dying law is back in the hands of the president for the third time, Diário de Notícias reports. The parliament approved the bill on Friday, removing the expression “fatal illness” and including a two-month waiting period and mandatory psychological support. Most of the ruling party PS (Socialist Party) voted in favour of the legislation, along with the right-wing IL (Liberal Initiative) and the parliamentarians from left-wing parties BE (Left Bloc), PAN (People Animals Nature) and Livre (Free). The right-wing PSD (Social Democratic Party), far-right Chega (Enough) and PCP (Portuguese Communist Party) voted against the bill. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa promised to decide whether to approve the new law quickly, Público reports. He vetoed the first proposal for including “excessively undefined concepts” and the second attempt for language he described as contradictory and needing clarification, Reuters reports, in English.
Christmas events labelled “art” to avoid public tenders
Multiple Portuguese town halls are classifying their Christmas light displays and markets as “art” to avoid public tender requirements, Público reports. The classification allows them to avoid principals such as competition and lowest price selections. Tomar’s “artistic performance” cost the municipality €175,000 plus tax and was delivered by a sole trader company. The council said several of the pieces used in “one of the biggest Christmas-themed events in the centre region” were created exclusively for the event and couldn’t be used in other locations. Another council justified its choice of a similar company for its lighting display because the company had registered with the National Institute of Industrial Property, apparently banal logos and design elements such as a manjerico bush and shooting star, which the council wanted to use.
In brief
Ministry wants 'Via Verde' for health centres as soon as possible. Non-urgent hospital patients, with blue and green triage bracelets, would be sent onto primary care centres with a pre-marked consultation. (Díaro de Notícas).
The TAP strike is over but its unclear if there are more to come. The airline and the cabin crew union continue without any signs of agreement after hundreds of flights were cancelled ahead of the two-day strike. (Público)
’One in four people paid a bribe to access public services in the past year’. The head of Transparency International Portugal blamed a lack of political will as the biggest difficulty in combating corruption. (Público)
On a lighter note
The Alentejo capital of Évora will be the European Capital of Culture in 2027, Diário de Notícias reports. The city will receive €29 million to carry out its project, which is based on the word vagar. The European Commission says the concept “reflects a way of living and a strong element in the region’s intangible heritage, and the urgent need for Europe and Europeans to transit to a ‘slow living philosophy’”.