fbpx
Log in

Login to your account

Username *
Password *
Remember Me

Create an account

Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.
Name *
Username *
Password *
Verify password *
Email *
Verify email *
Captcha *

Land registration blunder at Querença development

olivesMendes Bota chooses his fights carefully. The current line of enquiry for the PSD MP for Faro has resulted in questions to the government over a large land dispute in the municipality of Loulé.

Bota has looked at the facts surrounding the dispute over the possession of land in the  parishes of Querença and Salir where dozens of people are claiming to own land that a Finnish development company claims as its own and where it has started to develop commercial olive groves in a move that the company claims is in accord with all current legislation.

Silves budget crippled by Soares legacy

silveschurchSilves council has approved a €35.9 million budget for 2014 without the protracted quibbling that has seen previous budget approvals pushed well into the year in question. 

The budget for 2013 was €37 million, some €10 million lower than in 2012 making the 2014 budget the lowest for Silves in the last ten years.

Portugal is far from financial stability

lisbon2The Partido Socialista spokesman Oscar Gaspar has commented that the budget deficit of 5.9% was a proof that the country is far from a situation of fiscal consolidation, urging the Government to change the recipe of "cuts upon cuts."

"After so many sacrifices demanded of the Portuguese, namely the huge increase in income tax and the cuts in social services, despite all these sacrifices the truth is that the deficit is at 5.9%, i.e. very close to 6% and far from the 5.5% that is the current goal of the government."

France’s 75% tax rate approved

franceThe swingeing 75% tax rate has been approved by the high court in France.

A year ago, the proposal for this tax was judged unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court, ruling that 66% was the highest individuals should pay.

Gold suffers worst fall in 30 years

goldnuggetTumbling rapidly, gold prices fell nearly 28% during 2013, making it the worst collapse in 30 years.

The precious metal was priced at $1,200 an ounce close to the end of the month.

UK desperately needs engineers

businessparkThe demand for engineers is at a record high in the UK, but business is struggling with a lack of specialists to fill the jobs.

The engineering sector has but half the qualified candidates it needs, according to an engineering recruitment agency.

US spies operating in Lisbon

spyThe NSA and CIA, two of the USA’s spy agencies, have a cell operating in Portugal.

The information was provided by a Dutch newspaper which cites a document published by whistle-blower Edward Snowden.

This information exposed contained 79 other similar offices in other parts of the world. In Europe there are 19 such units operating as a cooperative venture between the NSA and CIA, called the Special Collection Service (SCS), including one in Portugal.

Golden Visas selling well, but how do they help?

villaPortugal has granted 471 'golden visas' representing sales of €306 million, according to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Paulo Portas. The share of this figure that goes to the treasury is a proportion of the property purchase tax.

Most visas were granted as the applicants purchased residential property, €272 million worth, with the Chinese continuing to lead the list of foreigners receiving the golden tax free key to Europe, followed by Russians, Brazilians, Angolans and South Africans.