News

Algarve emergency road repair grant will make little difference

Paul Rees 25 April 2018

Even with the announcement from the Secretary of State for Infrastructure, Guilherme d'Oliveira Martins, that Silves will benefit from €150,000 in emergency road works, the problem of the EN124’s road surface will not be solved.

The council says the road needs complete resurfacing from Silves to Port de Lagos and that the money allocated to the road as part of the €1 million emergency funding for the Algarve's worst roads, notably the EN125 eastern section, will be enough only to fix the very worst sections.

Altice slapped with €124 million fine over Portugal Telecom acquisition

Paul Rees 25 April 2018

alticeLogo The European Commission has imposed a €124.5 million fine on Altice, the multinational cable and telecommunications company based in the Netherlands, for implementing its acquisition of the Portuguese telecommunications operator 'PT Portugal' before notification or approval by the Commission.

Margrethe Vestager, the commissioner in charge of competition policy, said: "Companies that jump the gun and implement mergers before notification or clearance undermine the effectiveness of our merger control system. This is the system that protects European consumers from any merger that would lead to higher prices or reduced choice. The fine imposed by the Commission on Altice today reflects the seriousness of the infringement and should deter other firms from breaking EU merger control rules".

Ryanair faces Europe-wide cabin crew strike this summer

Paul Rees 24 April 2018

Unions representing Ryanair cabin crews based in six European countries met in Lisbon on Tuesday to decide on joint protest actions.

"It is in the hands of Ryanair" if it wants to avoid a European strike that is increasingly on the cards and planned for the bust summer period.

Mallorca has an answer to short-term tourist rentals - just ban them

Paul Rees 24 April 2018

Mallorca's Palma council has come up with a killer blow to solve the short-term tourist rental problems plaguing the city, it is to ban the activity.

From July, Palma de Mallorca's landlords are forbidden to rent their apartments to tourists. The measure is aimed at reducing the impact of tourism on residents who are getting priced out of the market.

Azores government moves to block deep sea mining

Paul Rees 24 April 2018

The members of the Left Bloc in the Azores regional parliament have moved to have the sea area around the archipelago, transferred to the exclusive management of the region's government.

At today's press conference in Ponta Delgada, Left Bloc parliamentary leader, Zuraida Soares, presented two preliminary bills that he intends to see debated at the Regional Assembly to prevent Lisbon's management of Azorean waters as part of the vastly expanded sea area the government is keen to gain.

Sócrates' lawyer accuses Public Prosecutor of lying

Paul Rees 24 April 2018

José Sócrates' one remaining lawyer claimed today that he had not been informed that the interrogation of his client was being filmed and accused the Public Prosecutor, involved in Operation Marquês, of lying.

In a statement entitled "The Prosecutor Lied," lawyer Pedro Delille rejected statements aired on Friday in an RTP programme in which the prosecutor said that Sócrates and his lawyers knew perfectly well that that interview would be recorded on video and audio.

Carvoeiro beach chosen as 'Best in Europe'

Paul Rees 24 April 2018

carvoeirobeach Over 13,000 travellers using the European Best Destinations portal have chosen Praia de Carvoeiro as the winner in the best European beaches of the year category.

Lagoa council says that "this picture postcard beach in Lagoa appears side by side with famous beaches in countries such as Greece, Croatia, England, Ireland, Spain and France."

EN125 emergency roadworks will cripple summertime traffic flow

Paul Rees 24 April 2018

After yesterday’s weak announcement that only €300,000 is to be spent on repairing the crumbling EN125 eastern section, the mayors of Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António met representatives from the Eastern EN125 Citizens' Movement and all agreed that the planned roadworks are a just window dressing and represent a lack of respect for the eastern Algarve population.

The Secretary of State for Infrastructure, Guilherme d'Oliveira Martins, announced on Monday that "emergency works" will be carried out, starting in the second half of May and that these will be concluded “before the summer.”