There are only 700 police to deal with the control of Portugal’s airports, sea ports and trans-border roads.
When the end of the Schengen agreement is discussed in Europe, to stem the free flow of refugees and economic migrants through member countries, Portugal is shown to be unprepared and unable to enforce strict border controls.
The head of the union representing Portugal’s Foreign and Borders Police (SEF), Acacio Pereira, said that if Portugal were forced, in an emergency, to suspend the Schengen Agreement, it would be very difficult to close down or even control the county's borders.
"There would be no ability to control or to oversee borders due to the lack of manpower and the lack of logistical support for the land borders.”
Portugal signed the Schengen Agreement 24 years ago and border controls immediately were abolished.
They have been restored twice; firstly in 2004 during 'Rock in Rio' and the European Football competitions. This control period lasted 39 days with 7,400 foreigners refused entry.
Secondly, when Lisbon hosted the NATO summit in 2010 with the then Minister of Internal Administration, Rui Pereira, installing border controls for four days to ensure the security of visiting heads of state.
These closures were low-key affairs. Should there be a European border control agreement, as a result of the recent terrorist acts and threats, Portugal's border controls would have to be strict but there are insufficient trained police to ensure this will happen.
The SEF can call on the GNR and the Public Security Police, but this would draw offciers away from their normal work.
The SEF’s management has a different opinion, saying that there is a "contingency plan" for the closure of the open borders policy which was "tested in full in 2010, during the NATO summit.”
The 2010 scheme saw the installation of nine official border crossing points, fully staffed by specialist SEF operatives. All the other roads into Portugal were closed by the GNR.
If Schengen fails and Europe goes into ‘closed’ mode, there would be huge delays at the country’s airports with each passenger entering the country going through document checks.
At the moment, 60% of travellers passing through Portugal's airports arrive or depart within Schengen countries and do not have to be checked. This left 11 million passengers arriving at airports from non-Schengen countries.
With the suspension of the agreement, everyone would have to be checked by SEF police.
The new government will be hoping that Schengen remains in place.
Portugal so far has remained off the beaten track for immigration and acts of terrorism, but there are not enough staff to provide even rudimentary cover on a long term basis and "because it is not humanly possible."
