Maximum fire danger for more than 80 councils // Summer fails to live up to tourism sector’s ‘best ever’ expectations
Portuguese news in English on Monday, August 14, 2023.
Maximum fire danger for more than 80 councils
More than 80 councils in Faro, Portalegre, Santarém, Castelo Branco, Guarda, Viseu, Vila Real and Bragança remain at the maximum fire threat level this week, Público reports. Another 80 or so across Faro, Beja, Santarém, Portalegre, Castelo Branco, Leiria, Lisbon, Coimbra, Viseu, Guarda, Porto, Aveiro, Braga, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real and Bragança remained at the second-highest level as weather conditions keep authorities on high alert until at least Friday. Almost 6000 fires have burnt more than 27,000 hectares this year. It will take a month to survey the damages from a fire in Odemira in the Beja region, which has been brought under control after burning 8400 hectares, Público reports. Several communities were evacuated as the fire sent up a smoke cloud clearly visible from the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite, Público reports. The fires were not helped by heatwave conditions across the country, which saw Santarém sweat through the hottest day of the year, at 46.4 degrees, Público reports.
Summer fails to live up to tourism sector’s ‘best ever’ expectations
A few months ago, the Algarve’s tourism operators were expecting the best summer ever, Público reports. The prices went up, from accommodation to dining, but potential travellers, particularly the Portuguese, spent less than expected. They seem to have either stayed home or headed to other, more accessible destinations as the cost of living crisis bites. All that added up to a 7.4% fall in tourism in July, despite a 7% increase in passengers at Faro airport, compared to last year, according to Algarve Hotels and Tourist Enterprises Association data. Albufeira Promotion Bureau president Desidério Silva suggested the increased prices could have been a factor, meaning people were landing in Portugal and heading east to the south of Spain.
Altice president ‘betrayed and deceived’ by corruption allegations
Authorities have identified about 100 companies suspected of participating as suppliers in an alleged corruption scheme involving telecommunications company Altice, Público reports. The information came from Patrick Drahi, the founder and president of the French company at the centre of a corruption probe in Portugal. He said most of the businesses were linked to Portuguese and Altice only maintained relations with about 10 of them when the investigation was made public. Former Altice president and co-founder Armando Pereira, who denies all wrongdoing, was named as the principal suspect and placed under house arrest. "This has come as a shock and as a huge disappointment to me," Drahi said in his first public comments on the matter, Reuters reports, in English. "If these allegations are true, I feel betrayed and deceived by a small group of individuals, including one of our oldest colleagues." He said 15 employees had been put on leave in Portugal, France and the United States since the investigation was revealed.
In brief
Portuguese sue Sony for anti-competitive behaviour over PlayStation. Consumer rights group Ius Omnibus is claiming more than €234 million and calling for potential litigants to sign up to the class action. It accuses Sony of hurting gamers by controlling the prices of all games and prohibiting resales. (CNN Portugal)
Swedish housing market in freefall, leaving Europe on alert. Experts are worried about a contagion effect. Portugal is still one of the exceptions to the cooling property markets across Europe, with an 8.7% yearly increase, but sales have slowed with rising interest rates. (Público)
Three new leaders take the stage for new political year. Liberal Iniciative’s (IL) Rui Rocha, Portuguese Communist Party’s (PCP) Paulo Raimundo and Left Bloc’s (BE) Mariana Mortágua are all taking the reins as the political world reconvenes from its summer break.
Price increases outpace wage rises. The relentless fall in real wages has been halted, but it still didn’t make up for a loss of buying power since the start of the inflation crisis. (Público)
On a lighter note
It’s called Festas na Rua but this massive list of events doesn’t have anything to do with the street parties that dominate Lisbon in June. The lengthy cultural program promises six days of magic, three days of sound art, five days of dance, two great concerts, one multidisciplinary project, four festivals and one themed fair, starting from August 22. If that sounds like a lot, don’t panic, the rolling event runs until the start of October. Highlights include the Gulbenkian Orchestra performing music from a series of famous composer John Williams’ greatest soundtracks, a video art festival and outdoor dance classes.