Prime minister rejects under-fire minister’s resignation // Decades-old temperature record falls
Portuguese news in English on Tuesday, May 2, 2023.
Note: Sorry this newsletter is coming in so late, I wanted to wait for the latest on the João Galamba story below.
Prime minister rejects under-fire minister’s resignation
Prime Minister Antônio Costa has refused to accept the resignation of Infrastructure Minister João Galamba, Público reports, after days of controversy linked to an inquiry into TAP and the firing of an adviser. Instead, Costa sided with his minister, insisting he didn’t find any evidence Galamba tried to hide information from the parliamentary commission of inquiry into the airline.
Galamba’s former adviser last week accused him of wanting him to lie to the commission about notes taken during a now-infamous “secret” meeting, something Galamba categorically denied, Diário de Notícias reports. The meeting was with former TAP CEO Christine Ourmières-Widener, just before her first appearance before the commision. The government accused the now-fired adviser, Frederico Pinheiro, of physically assaulting staffers as he tried to retrieve his work laptop after being fired, which he said was to create a backup of notes he made regarding the meeting. The Portuguese Internal Intelligence Service (SIS) later retrieved the computer, which is the property of the state, Público reports. That move has itself sparked a call for clarification from the body responsible for the spy service, and various opposition parties, given the agency is reportedly not supposed to carry out police work such as searching homes without specific orders. Pinheiro claimed he took notes that clearly showed the meeting included talk of questions that would be asked by the PS (Socialist Party) MPs and how the CEO should answer them, and claimed Galamba initially intended to not reveal the notes to the commission.
Tonight Costa addressed the country live on prime-time television, saying he found no fault with the minister even though “it would be easier to follow the opinion” of the majority of commentators and political agents and accept the resignation. He accused the former adviser of omitting documentation that was relevant to the inquiry, saying he wouldn’t have confidence in his minister if he hadn’t sacked the adviser. Nor did he blame Galamba for the alleged violence and theft of the government computer after the employee’s sacking. He said the intelligence service acted properly and rejected any suggestion its agents acted outside the law. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who met with Costa for more than 1½ hours earlier today, released a statement soon after the press conference saying he disagreed with the prime minister’s decision. The developments prompted a wave of calls for new elections and government reform from opposition parties.
Airport options cut from 17 to nine
After widening the number of possible options for a new Lisbon airport from five to 17, the Independent Technical Commission responsible for the decision has reduced the number to nine, Público reports. Apart from two options that include maintaining the current airport at Portela while adding another, and one in Santarém, all of the possibilities are on the south side of the Tejo River. The possibilities were evaluated based on their proximity to Lisbon, capacity for expansion and access to road and rail networks. Alcochet and Rio Frio, which is included in a joint proposal with neighbouring Poçeirão to the north-east of Setúbal, were at the top of the list when building a new airport was first under consideration in the early ‘70s.
Decades-old temperature record falls as spring turns to summer
A 78-year temperature record has fallen as Portugal and Spain sweltered through an unseasonably warm April, Público reports. Mora, in the Alentejo, hit 36.9 on April 27, the month’s hottest temperature ever recorded, thanks to a hot air mass from the north of Africa that turned spring into summer. Another five weather stations in the Alentejo beat the old record of 36 on the same day. All in all, half of the country’s weather stations broke local records last month, including in the mountainous and usually cooler north-east. Experts say similar situations are likely to become more frequent as the climate crisis intensifies. Politico has a good read, in English, looking into water concerns across France, Spain, Italy and southern Portugal heading into summer.
In brief
Ride-share cars and tuk-tuks allowed into central Lisbon. Authorities have created an exception to allow Ubers, Bolts and other TVDE vehicles into the local-traffic-only area, as well as light tourist vehicles. (Público)
Portugal's biggest union group demands immediate 10% salary increase. On Labour Day, the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers called for a minimum €100 increase, backdated to January, to stop local wages dropping further below the European average. (Lusa)
SNS24 phone hotline can now grant sick leave of up to three days. The Health Ministry estimates the change will save on 600,000 doctor consultations a year. (Diário de Notícias)
Fight against racism splits off from migratory agency. After the creation of the Agency for Minorities, Migration and Asylum, the government has announced the formation of the independent Commission for Equality and Against Racial Discrimination.
Residents of Lisbon’s historic neighbourhoods call for “urgent review” of restaurant and bar licensing. They want the very relaxed rules currently in action tightened and greater monitoring of the venues, particularly in Bairro Alto, Bica and Cais do Sodré, amid concerns the suburbs are being effectively turned into theme parks for tourists.
On a lighter note
Meet Zazu, the golden retriever assistance dog who shows up at the Inês de Castro secondary school in Vila Nova de Gaia every Friday afternoon. Along with Feijão and Ervilha, Zazu is helping a handful of students with problems at school to improve their marks and behaviour, Público reports. Some of the children already feel more “calm and patient” at school and teachers have noticed an improvement in other areas too. The pictures are a must-see.