Top court throws out Portuguese youths’ climate challenge // More details revealed about twins’ expensive medication
Portuguese news in English on Wednesday, April 10, 2024.
Top court throws out Portuguese youths’ climate challenge
The European Court of Human Rights has declared a climate change case brought by six young Portuguese as inadmissible, Público reports. The court ruled the youths didn’t have standing to challenge Portugal because they hadn’t exhausted their domestic legal options and didn’t have jurisdiction to bring the case against the other 31 European nations. Even still, the court accepted some arguments, such as that climate change be treated as an existential threat to humanity. Catarina Mota, one of the six, said the challenge didn’t end there. “We didn’t knock down the wall but we made a big crack,” she said.
In another case heard on the same day, the court ruled Switzerland’s climate policy shortcomings violated human rights, Reuters reports, in English. More than 2,000 elderly Swiss women called KlimaSeniorinnen argued the government’s failure to do more put them at risk of dying during heatwaves.
More details revealed about twins’ expensive medication
An investigation has found legal requirements were not followed in granting a consultation with a neuropaediatrician for two Portuguese-Brazilian twins who went on to be subscribed one of the world’s most expensive medications, Público reports. The report criticised the Santa Maria Hospital, Health Ministry Secretary-General and Infarmed, the national medicine regulator. The twins lived in Brazil but became Portuguese nationals before the treatment for muscular dystrophy with the drug Zolgensma, which cost millions of euros.
The former secretary to former Secretary of State for Health Antônio Lacerda Sales told the Inspectorate-General of Health Activities the politician asked her to call Nuno Rebelo de Sousa, the son of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, to get the details of the twins, Público reports. Carla Silva said she later contacted the head of the paediatrics department to guarantee an appointment for the twins, a version of events accepted by IGAS. Lacerda Sales denied any interference in the case and criticised the investigation as rushed.
Asked last week about his son’s role in the matter, Marcelo said he didn’t speak with his son about the case and told reporters they would have to ask him themselves, Diário de Notícias reports. Far-right party Chega has called for a parliamentary commission of inquiry to “find out the truth”, Diário de Notícias reports.
New government scraps controversial logo redesign with first edict
The new government has used one of its first acts to reinstate the old official state emblem with symbols linked to the “Age of Discovery”, Reuters reports, in English. The former government had redesigned a “more inclusive and secular" logo without the armillary sphere and shields and castles signifying various victories over the Moors. Cabinet Minister António Leitão Amaro told a news conference the symbols were "essential to our identity, our history and culture".
Eduardo Aires, who designed the stripped-back symbol in place until last Tuesday, told Público the decision was “partly ideological and partly strategic”. He said the move, which accentuated the difference between the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) and opposition Socialist Party (PS), could attract far-right Chega voters to PSD and fed a “deep cultural division between the traditional and progressive parts of society”.
As PSD leader Luís Montenegro officially stepped into the prime minister role last Tuesday, he challenged PS to let his party govern until the end of its four-year mandate, calling for the party to be a “democratic opposition” rather than a barrier, Público reports.
In brief
Two still missing from deadly shipwreck off Tróia. Five people were on board when the boat sunk on Sunday morning. A 62-year-old was saved but an 11-year-old and a 23-year-old were found dead. (Lusa)
Bodies of tourist couple missing in Madeira found, police believe. The French couple had been missing since March 16 before they were found near the waterfall Fajã da Areia in São Vicente. (Lusa)
AIMA denies end of Portuguese-speaking country visa. Misinformation is sometimes rife, based on the upcoming end to the extended validity period. It’s worth keeping an eye out for fake news about non-CPLP visas too. (Diário de Notícias)
On a lighter note
One of Portugal’s most famous brands, crockery maker Vista Alegre, will celebrate its bicentennial in July, Público reports. It’s a celebration not just for the company but the working neighbourhood that grew up around Portugal’s first porcelain factory. On a tour through the town near Aveiro, with a worker couple who started dating and fell in love in the town, the newspaper reports the brand’s 200-year history is also told by the streets and even a football club, where employees used to train two days a week before work. The 198-year-old local theatre company has developed a play, the content of which for now remains a tightly guarded secret, that alludes to this rich history and will be performed in July.