Family doctor for Aljezur health centers
The Aljezur Personalized Health Care Unit (UCSP) now has a General and Family Medicine health professional to reinforce health care at the Odeceixe and Rogil centers.
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After there being a lack of appointments with a GP for some time, as is currently the case in most municipalities, consultations have been resumed, by doctor Ana Filomena Belo.
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Dr Belo will be based in Odeceixe on Mondays and Thursdays, Aljezur on Wednesdays, and Rogil on Tuesdays and Fridays.
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Currently, the municipality of Aljezur has three SNS doctors and one contracted doctor, for more than 6,700 registered patients.
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Faro: 58 year old arrested for selling heroin
The PSP in Faro arrested a 58 year old rug trafficker on Tuesday, after they noticed the man was acting suspiciously.
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The alleged drug trafficker was making “movements typical when practicing this crime, and was promptly approached by the police officers involved”.
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On searching the suspect, it was found that “he was in possession of approximately 136 individual doses of heroin”.
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The man “immediately admitted” that the aforementioned doses were intended “to be sold to consumers of these products who sought him out for that purpose, which is why he was arrested”.
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He will be brought before the court for the 1st Judicial Interrogation, and application of coercive measures.
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Faro City Council guarantee improvement in working conditions for firefighters
In response to demands made by the professional firefighters' union on Monday, Faro City Council have confirmed that work is underway to improve working conditions at the local Firefighters' barracks.
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On Monday, the National Union of Professional Firefighters (SNBP) demanded “immediate intervention” from the council to improve the working conditions of Faro's firefighters, who currently work, according to the union, with “degraded” equipment and facilities.
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“Immediate and effective measures are needed by the competent authorities” to provide Faro Firefighters with “adequate facilities, operational equipment and decent working conditions, essential for an efficient and safe rescue service”, the SNBP said in a statement.
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In response, yesterday the council said that “construction work is underway on the Municipal Emergency Operations Center (CMOS), which will operate at the headquarters of the Faro Firefighters Company (CSB).
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“Significant improvements were also made in some spaces, particularly in the changing rooms and dormitories”, and “a training room with more modern technological resources” was created.
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“As the work progressed, it was necessary to adopt temporary solutions in order to guarantee the continued operation of the barracks”, acknowledged the municipality, stressing that a project is being developed, “together with the CSB, to build a new barracks, functional, modern and adapted to the needs of the firefighters and the population they serve”.
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Firefighters are also faced with “degrading conditions at the barracks”, where there is a cafeteria “without the minimum hygienic conditions” and “recently renovated” changing rooms, but which have been “without hot water since last December”, the union explained.
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However, the local authority claimed that, in December, “a serious fault was found in the sanitary water heating equipment, with no capacity to repair it”, and “the procedure for acquiring a replacement system” was initiated under public procurement rules.
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The municipality clarified that, until the conditions for bathing are restored with the acquisition of new water heating equipment, “the changing rooms at Campo Municipal da Penha”, located about 1km from the Sapadores barracks, were made available so that firefighters can bathe with hot water.
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The Municipality is currently running a competition to recruit 20 new firefighters and has recently acquired a new urban fire-fighting vehicle (VUCI), to be incorporated into the municipal fleet, in addition to a set of new technical materials to support the work, such as thermal cameras and gas detectors, which reinforce the safety and effectiveness of operations on the ground, allowing for faster, safer and more precise interventions”, argued Faro City Council.
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In the statement released on Monday, the SNBP assured that it has made “repeated attempts at dialogue” with the Council, but regretted that, to date, the problems identified remain “unsolved”, putting “the safety of the Firefighters and the quality of assistance provided to the population” of the municipality and the Algarve at risk.
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Firefighters are faced with a “continuous degradation of working conditions” and the “lack of commitment from the responsible entities” is “evident”, considered the SNBP, accusing the local authority of “inaction” and of putting professionals and rescue at risk.
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Two earthquakes recorded near Silves this morning
The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) recorded two small earthquakes in the early hours of this Wednesday morning, one with a magnitude of 2.8 the other 2.9 on the Richter scale.
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Both had their epicentres around 20 kilometres northeast of Silves, the first earthquake was recorded at the stations of the Continent Seismic Network, at 03:11 (magnitude 2.8 Richter), and the second at 03:12 (magnitude 2.9 Richter).
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According to the IPMA, there have been no rports from the public that the earthquakes were felt.
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On Monday, an earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale was recorded at 1:24 pm, with its epicentre approximately 14 kilometres southwest of Seixal, in SetĂşbal and this was felt with maximum intensity in Sintra (Lisbon) and Almada (SetĂşbal), and with less intensity in some Central and Algarve areas.
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A day later, on Tuesday, the IPMA recorded two aftershocks of the earthquake on Monday, predicting that more could be recorded in the next few days.
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According to seismologist Paulo Alves, the 'aftershocks' that occurred on Tuesday, the first measuring 2.4 on the Richter scale, at 10:30, and the second measuring 1.8, at 11:34, are “earthquakes very close to the main earthquake”, which occurred “on the edges of the main earthquake which occured on Monday”.
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Paulo Alves explained that aftershocks, “are normally one degree less than the main earthquake”.
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Source https://postal.pt/ - Photo courtesy of Depositphotos.comÂ
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Munich Security Conference throws up questions regarding the US and Europe's relationship
It has become increasingly clear that Europe can no longer rely on the United States as a trusted ally. The Trump administration has distanced itself from Europe while strengthening ties with Russia and “betraying” Ukraine.
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This development is of great concern to Portugal and other committed European members of NATO and the European Union.
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On day one of the 61st annual Munich Security Conference, European leaders were stunned by a speech from United States Vice President J.D. Vance. In his address, Vance barely mentioned Russia or Ukraine, despite the war in Ukraine being the central focus of the conference agenda. Instead, he delivered a blistering attack on European politicians, accusing them of “retreating” from their democratic values. He claimed that the primary threat to some of Europe’s fundamental principles came not from Russia or China, but from within Europe itself. He criticised European governments, including Britain, for censoring free speech, failing to control illegal migration, ignoring religious freedom, and avoiding the question of how to resolve the Ukraine war.
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It was clear that Vance had little respect for America’s long-standing European partners. His 20-minute rant was condemned outright by European leaders, sparking a furious backlash. At best, Vance’s tirade was described as “bizarre.”
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On the second day of the conference, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky went further, making it abundantly clear that he fully respected and trusted European countries and strongly advocated for the formation of a united European military force. He walked a fine line in trying not to antagonise the Trump administration while emphasising that the defence of Europe was now, more than ever, the responsibility of Europeans rather than the United States within NATO.
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“Let’s be honest, now we can’t rule out the possibility that America might say no to Europe on issues that threaten it,” said Zelenskyy. He went on to say: “Does America need Europe as a market? Yes, but as an ally? I don’t know. For the answer to be yes, Europe needs a single voice, not a dozen different ones.”
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In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, European NATO countries are trying to ramp up their defence budgets from an average of 2.2% of GDP to between 2.5% and 3%. Poland plans to reach 4.7% this year, while Estonia and Latvia are committed to spending 5%. Portugal hopes to reach more than 4% by 2029.
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President Zelenskyy and European representatives want to be present at the negotiations about to take place between America and Russia over the war in Ukraine. A senior Ukrainian official may have a seat at the table, but there is little hope of Ukraine fulfilling its wish to join NATO so long as the United States is a key member.
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Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg was asked whether Europe could participate in the US – Russia negotiations. He responded, “I am from the school of realism and that is not going to happen.”
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French President Emmanuel Macron has convened an emergency summit for European leaders in Paris today (Monday) to address the latest confusing and controversial challenges created by President Trump. Only the most influential European countries have been invited to the Paris summit. Portugal will not be represented.
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The US president has already spoken with Putin by phone, and a meeting to discuss peace in Ukraine is expected to take place soon in Saudi Arabia between senior American and Russian officials.
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Portugal’s prime minister and defence minister recently met in Brussels with their NATO counterparts, expressing deep concern over President Trump’s sudden close friendship with Vladimir Putin and its implications for the security and defence of Ukraine and the rest of Europe. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro emphasised that defence is a political priority and called for a recovery and resilience programme to fund investment in the face of threats in various sectors, particularly regarding vital maritime connections in Portugal.
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“We have a war on European territory. We have our defence and security threatened in various areas.” Of vital maritime importance, he said, are the marine cables that connect Portugal with the American continent and pass on to other parts of Europe and beyond.
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Meanwhile, on Friday, the final day of the Munich Security Conference, numerous breakout meetings and sideline discussions were held to address issues raised over the previous two days. More than 850 participants attended, including some 40 heads of state, 40 foreign minister, 25 defence minister, as well as representatives from think-tanks, NGOs and businesses.
Written by Len Port - Edited by Catriona Anderson
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Petition for pedestrian access to Cabanas Beach reaches the European Parliament
The petition for pedestrian access to Cabanas Beach in Tavira has reached the European Parliament for investigation, after being submitted in January 2024.
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“The more than 9,000 subscribers thus reinforce our conviction that together we will prevent the Ria Formosa, in Cabanas, from being definitively converted into a navigation channel, at the mercy of cold commercial interests, which would happen if a contract for the exploration of the crossing were signed with a company for the indecent period of 25 years, as admitted by the Tavira City Council”, said local associations in a statement.
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“We will not allow this to happen in an area that is an ecological reserve classified with the highest environmental protection, integrated in the Natura 2000 Network, which has already been neglected for too long and, instead of being definitively damaged, requires urgent protection and management measures to ensure its conservation and valorization”, they add.
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“We believe that we will have pleasant, safe, ecological and inclusive access to our beloved island, as is the wish expressed by thousands of citizens: a pedestrian walkway that also allows them to enjoy the beach all year round, any day and at any time, in perfect harmony between humans and the nature that surrounds them and that they must defend and preserve at all costs”, concludes the note, signed by José António Leite Pinto.
