Agency 'Fitch Ratings' believes that Portugal should apply for a precautionary programme of stand-by credit rather than fending unaided in the international funding market.

According to principal analyst for Fitch in Portugal, Michele Napolitano, it would be a significant and positive move in terms of Portugal’s overall credit rating if the government applied for a precautionary programme.

An ageing population and emigration have a lot to do with the marginal drop in Portugal’s unemployment figures which in the last quarter of 2013 was 15.3%.

After starting 2013 with the highest unemployment rate ever seen, combined with mass job losses, the unemployment rate of 15.3% compared with 16.9% in the last quarter of 2012. This is the first time since 2008 that employment showed a year-on-year growth, interrupting a period of five and a half years of decline but much of this is due to emigration.

Data for 2013 from the Portuguese Association of Oil Companies show that the Portuguese spent less on petrol and diesel last year due to many giving up their vehicles, driving in a fuel-efficient manner, and fewer miles being driven as there are fewer drivers commuting as there are fewer jobs to commute to and from.

The government has pressed ahead with its plan permanently to close twenty courts across the country, including the one in Monchique. Despite two years of objection and negotiation by mayor Rui André (pictured), the closures were confirmed at a meeting of the Council of Ministers.

André reacted immediately to lodge an injunction to try to halt the closure of the Monchique court and commented that he disagrees with the unspeakable action of the Ministry of Justice, saying that his council team was fully behind him in taking out an injunction. André is still waiting for an "urgent audience" with the minister responsible whose behaviour he condemned as "unqualified."

The Portuguese court system has failed to complete and judge an average of four crimes per day, including serious offences such as rape and murder.

According to the Ministry of Justice, over 7,000 defendants have escaped a possible conviction in criminal proceedings between 2008 and 2012.

A delegation from AMAL, the association of Algarve mayors, finally is to meet Health Minister Paulo Macedo in Lisbon.

The delegation comprising José Amarelinho, Jorge Botelho, Rui André, Francisco Amaral and Rogério Bacalhau have been trying to get an appointment for over two weeks and are able to see the Minister tomorrow to put forward the unanimous opinions of AMAL for greater investment in healthcare provision in the Algarve region and an end to the current management failures.

Instead of continuing as a country that exports medium and low-tech products from the agricultural sector, Portugal has to export products of medium and high technology.

Cavaco Silva was opening the new headquarters of pharmaceutical company Novartis in Oeiras and said that investment in innovation and development is "crucial" for the country's future because innovation is the key factor for competitiveness.

In a surprising outburst Pedro Passos Coelho blamed Christie's the auctioneers for the problems and illegalities surrounding the export of the Miró art collection for sale in London.

Christie's "was put in charge of dealing with everything" said Passos Coelho, adding that this was supposed to be a start to finish process, "It is clear that the company is responsible for the problems in the export process for the works of art.”