'Unrecoverable' tax debts rise 34% in a year

financasPortuguese taxpayers’ bad debts have risen 34% in the past year with over half of the amount attributable to debts of €250,000 or more.

The amount that is considered ‘uncollectable’ at the end of April was €3.92 billion, according to Fernando Rocha Andrade, the head of Tax Affairs.

International Boat Show opens in Vilamoura Marina

sunseekerPredator57The 2017 International Boat Show starts on June 10th at Vilamoura Marina, ending on June 18th, where “the most luxurious boats currently on the market” are on display from leading companies.

As well as sleek and largely unaffordable yachts, unless you are in the millionaire class, there is plenty of food and drink choices in the marina’s dock-side restaurants and bars.

Holiday rental scams - be warned

spanishluxuryhomeThe Portuguese Consumer Protection Association (DECO) has issued a warning to anyone renting a holiday home in Portugal, beware of crime, especially on the Internet.

"Every year in the summer, we receive dozens of complaints about holiday home rental scams," said Ingride Pereira, a lawyer for Deco's consumer support office.

According to Pereira, most of the complaints received by Deco are related to the fact that the consumer pay to rent a house that does not exist or is nothing like it appeared in the online listing.

Junk food tax planned for next State Budget

macdonaldsIn addition to the government’s tax on sugar-laden soft drinks, the Health Minister is preparing a fiscal assault on junk food.
 
Portugal restaurateurs association, AHRESP, has called for an urgent meeting with Minister Adalberto Campos Fernandes, whose proposal to tax food with high levels of saturated fat and salt may affect their members’ profitability.

Loulé housebreaking gang charged with 27 burglaries

burglaryFive members of the Loulé housebreaking gang that operated between October 2015 and January this year have been charged by the Faro Public Prosecutor's Office and will be tried.

The defendants, aged between 22 and 28, dedicated themselves to robbing homes and commercial establishments in the Loulé area, especially in Almancil, many of them belonging to foreigners.

Work to start on the new Messines multipurpose market and fairground space

messinesAerialA  long-awaited project to build a new exhibition, fair and open market area in São Bartolomeu de Messines, Silves will see contractors start work on June 12th.

The €981,000 investment is planned to be completed within nine months.

easyJet starts new Faro airport summer routes to Nice and Lille

easyjetFaro Airport’s French-owned operator, the Algarve Tourism Association and easyJet today inaugurated new routes to Nice and Lille with the baptism of an Airbus A320 from Lille and a special welcome for all passengers on the inaugural fight.

With the inauguration of the new service for Nice and Lille, the Algarve is connected to 10 French airports with the number of available seats showing a 30% increase this summer over last.

Santander to cut 3,000 jobs after Banco Popular purchase

santander2Banco Santander has announced that with its purchase of Banco Popular for €1, it has become the largest bank in Spain and Banco Santander Totta now is the largest private bank in Portugal in terms of assets.

In today's statement, the institution said that Banco Santander Totta will incorporate Banco Popular Portugal, "creating the conditions to further develop its activity to support Portuguese families and companies," and admitted that 3,000 people will lose their jobs.