Portugal left off UK 'air bridge' list, and the latest on the outbreaks in Greater Lisbon
Portuguese news in English on July 3, 2020.
Sorry for the delay on this one. I was waiting for the latest figures but they still haven’t been released.
The latest on the outbreaks in Greater Lisbon
The continued outbreaks in the Lisbon and Tejo Valley (LVT) region continue to be the most pressing part of the evolution of the coronavirus in Portugal. In an interview on TV station RTP3 on Wednesday night, the Health Minister said it was an uncomfortable situation that meant the authorities could not relax, Público reported. The most worrying aspect was the constant plateau, with difficulties breaking the chains of transmission and some questions about the circumstances that explain the situation in the region, she said. But the Minister insisted the situation was not out of control. The Rt (transmission ratio was at 0.99 nationally and in the LVT between June 24 and 28, meaning every sick person was essentially infecting one other person. Duarte Cordeiro, the coordinator of the Lisbon and Tejo Valley region for the management of COVID-19, says he “can't say that the bulk of the problem is” in poor neighborhoods, Público reports. In a wide-ranging interview, he said recent criticism of the handling of the epidemic in Greater Lisbon from Lisbon Mayor Fernando Medina was “absolutely legitimate”. He admitted there must have been several failures but couldn’t say exactly what it was that made the situation in Lisbon so different from the rest of the country.
Portugal left off UK ‘air bridge’ list
Speaking of long-running sagas: the so-called “air bridge” between the UK and Portugal that seemed like a lock when negotiations were first revealed in May has fallen over. After more than a week of intense speculation, the UK government today confirmed what many in the Portuguese tourism industry had feared, Portugal is not on the list of 59 countries where Brits can holiday without needing to quarantine on return to the UK. A ray of hope remains for Madeira and the Azores. To be honest, the situation is slightly confusing because the islands are included on this list of places exempt from the UK government’s general recommendation against “all but essential travel” but they’re not on the quarantine exemption list. At least here in Portugal, it’s being reported that Brits can travel to Madeira and the Azores without having to worry about quarantining when they get back.
Clarification: I want to explain something more clearly that I mentioned on Wednesday. Portugal has opened up to normal flights from the EU, Schengen Zone and the UK, as well as Algeria, Canada, South Korea, Morocco, Tunisia and China (assuming they reciprocate), no tests necessary. Flights from Brazil, the USA and Portuguese-speaking African countries into Portugal will only be permitted for “essential” journeys, which include EU citizens returning home. In the case of those special “essential” trips, passengers need to show a negative COVID-19 test.
After months of negotiation, government takes 72.5% ownership of TAP
The long-running saga of how to save national airline TAP has finally been resolved. The Portuguese government has reached a final agreement with private shareholders to take a controlling stake in the airline but avoid nationalising it, Reuters reports, in English. The government says it will up its 50% stake in the airline to 72.5% leaving Portuguese entrepreneur Humberto Pedrosa with 22.5% and TAP employees with 5%. TAP is too important for the country for us to accept the risk of letting such a company fall,” Infrastructure Minister Pedro Nuno Santos said, late Thursday night. Brazilian-American aviation businessman David Neeleman, who previously owned 45% of the company along with Mr Santos, will sell all his shares. TAP, like many other airlines, was plunged into crisis when it had to ground the vast majority of its fleet due to the coronavirus, reporting a first-quarter net loss of €395 million. Mr Neeleman sold his shares for €55 million, Público reports, clearing the way for a potential €1.2 billion rescue package for the company.
The government separately announced plans to nationalise and then re-privatise large engineering and power company Efacec, Público reported. The move took over the stake of Angolan businesswoman Isabel dos Santos, who is under investigation after the “Luanda Leaks”. Reuters has more details in English.
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In brief
Portugal among EU countries with “abrupt deforestation” since 2015. (Público)
A 29-year-old who threw rocks at a police station during lockdown was preventatively imprisoned for two months. Appeal judges ordered the Sintra man be released at the end of June, in one of the first decisions about the effects of mandatory confinement.
On a lighter note
This feels a little like another one of those “nature is healing” memes but it’s actually really lovely. Laugh all you like but there have been almost daily sightings of dolphins in the Tejo River lately, which feels like it has to be a good thing. If you’re yet to see any footage, the nearby sailing school has been snapping plenty of video under the 25 de Abril bridge and today the municipal council posted a live video from the water.
I’m hoping to keep as many expats informed as possible, so please share this with any friends you think might find it useful.