A Communist Party proposal to end, once and for all, the nightmare demolitions on the Algarve's Ria Formosa islands has been defeated in parliament.
The ruling Socialist Party voted against the proposal, despite when in opposition voting against the demolitions. Astoundingly, the lone MP from the People Nature and Animals party voted against the demolitions, so, with the Social Democrats and CDS abstaining, the Communists' motion was rejected.
The Minister of the Environment, João Matos Fernandes, continues in his post after last weekend's ministerial reshuffle, with his role augmented to include the remit for Energy Transition.(HERE)
The addition of this responsibility to the pro-oil minister's workload has raised serious questions as to his suitability to lead the country from oil and coal power dependence to the grassy uplands of green energy self-sufficiency or surplus.
Joel Eldridge has been missing since July 2018.
Although he was last known to be in the area of Sertã (Castelo Branco district), Joel may have travelled to the Algarve, and could be doing casual labouring,or busking with his black acoustic guitar.
The Pestana Group has the go-ahead to start creation of a new Pousada in the historic centre of Vila Real de Santo António.
The hotel will be developed from four historical buildings that are owned by the Council and controlled by its municipal company, VRSA, Sociedad de Gestão Urbana, E.M., S.A. Vrsa, which manages all urban development operations in the historic centre.
Olhão residents and road users, well used to standstill summer traffic and choking fumes, may see an end to vehicles having to inch their way through the city along the EN125.
In July this year, the Minister of Planning and Infrastructure, Pedro Marquês visited the municipality and assured residents that a bypass, talked about for decades, indeed would be built.
Portugal’s government is to introduce a new tax rate of 25% on all types of online gambling revenue, replacing the current sliding scale system.
At present, operators pay tax at various rates depending on how much revenue they post and the type of gambling services they offer.
Leonardo S.p.A. the Anglo-Italian multinational, announced today that the Portuguese Ministry of Defence has chosen the AW119Kx as its new multi-role single engine helicopter. This order is a result of a tendering process, launched in May 2017, that elicited applications from Leonardo and Airbus Defence and Space SAS, based in Toulouse, France.
The Portuguese Air Force is due to take delivery of five new aircraft with an option for a further two.
Portugal is aiming to export a record €2 billion in fruit and vegetables in 2020 – most of it to neighbouring Spain which itself is a major fruit producer.
The weather is the key as in the first six months of 2018, exports of fruit and vegetables fell by 1%, year-on-year, to a total of €939 million.
