President apologises for much-criticised church abuse comments // Tax break for many paying home loans
Portuguese news in English on Saturday, October 15, 2022
By the numbers
President apologises for much-criticised church sexual abuse comments
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has apologised for saying the 424 complaints made to an independent commission studying Catholic Church child sexual abuse was “not particularly high,” Diário de Notícias reports. His comments, which included saying other countries had thousands of cases, drew harsh criticism from all sides of the political spectrum. The president later clarified that he meant the number was “not particularly high compared to the sad likely reality”. The Catholic apologised to anyone he offended and said his intention was to express concern there would have been many more cases than just those reported.
Tax break for many paying home loans
Families paying home loans would receive a tax break under the national budget proposed by the government this week, Público reports. Employees with home loans earning under €2700 a month will be able to ask their company to shift them one tax bracket lower in terms of the withholding tax they pay. The government estimates the measure will cost €250 million and affect as many as 1.4 million families. In other inflation-fighting moves, every tax bracket will be increased 5.1% (to allow people to receive pay rises without jumping up to the next bracket and paying more tax) and those in the second tax bracket will pay 21% instead of 23, Público reports. The budget also proposes a change to the way taxes are calculated for those earning the least, addressing a problem that sees some people earning slightly above the minimum wage ending up after tax with the same amount in their pockets as those earning the minimum wage, Público reports.
Immigrants sleeping on street due to lack of work and housing
Many Timorese immigrants have been left living on the streets after coming to Portugal with the promise of work, Diário de Notícias reports. In a lengthy report, based partly on interviews with several young people from the former Portuguese colony who were apparently sleeping in the inner-Lisbon square of Martim Moniz, alongside their travel bags, the newspaper explores issues of accommodation and even potential human trafficking. The Judiciary Police are investigating and SEF (Immigration and Borders Service) says it has already identified 11 possibly situations of aiding illegal immigration and human trafficking, related to the recent increase of Timorese arrivals. About 3000 were said to have arrived in three months, almost 10 times the figure from last year. Bernadino said he paid about US$2360 to move here but had only been given two weeks’ work, “cutting pumpkins”, earning just €230. His experience in Portugal was not what he expected and he wanted to return home but didn’t have the money, he said. He told the newspaper he was telling people in Timor not to come because they were being sold a lie.
In brief
Lawyer who racked up more than 500 road fines accused of deceiving road safety authority. The lawyer allegedly put his name on clients’ fines, but was never punished, and has been accused of document falsification. (Sábado)
More than 60% of "gold visas" expire awaiting renewal by SEF. The Immigration and Border Service guarantees the documents are valid until December 31 but many have been unable to enter or leave Portugal due to the documents not being accepted at international airports. (Público)
Inflation hits three-decade high. The overall figure hit 9.3% nationally in December, with a 17.7% rise in food prices in the North and a 23.9% jump in energy prices in greater Lisbon. (Dinheiro Vivo
Most councils to follow government's energy-saving Christmas lights suggestion. The lights will only be lit from 6pm to midnight, which isn’t a huge change in many cases, but a switch to low-energy LED lights in some towns is expected to save more power. (Público)
On a lighter note
Portugal is racking up the plaudits from international media organisations this month. Condé Nast Traveler readers voted Portugal the best place to travel to for the second year in a row. It was also chosen as the second friendliest country in Europe, behind Ireland. On a more local level, Time Out declared Cais do Sodré the second coolest neighbourhood in the world, declaring the heart of Lisbon’s nightlife is (not my words) “more popping than ever”.