Welcome to the Week em Breve, a wrap-up of important Portuguese news to keep you up to date and in the know.
This week in Portugal: Problems with Brussels, Immigration, Emigration, and a Christmas Strike
Brussels Gets Bristly Over Portuguese Non-Compliance
The European Commission sent Portugal a formal notice over “discriminatory” rules that allow residents free access to museums. Under EU rules, nationals of all member states must receive services under the same conditions – i.e., if one pays, all pay. The Commission has also opened proceedings against Portugal for not complying with subcontracting rules on public contracts.
“Brain Waste” in Portugal
About 40% of immigrants with higher education are employed below their qualifications, compared with 27% of Portuguese workers, according to a collaborative investigation from PÚBLICO. This disparity exists across Europe. In Portugal, the main factor seems to be whether a person holds a Portuguese degree, PÚBLICO says.
Second Chance for Over 100,000 Residency Applications
The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) has said that 108,000 immigrants whose residency applications were rejected will be given a second chance to resolve pending issues. The majority of the rejected applications were due to non-payment of fees, Público reports.
Martim Moniz Raided by Public Security Police
A “special crime prevention operation” was carried out in the largely immigrant parish of Santa Maria Maior. The action targeted areas where “incidents involving weapons are frequently recorded,” according to the PSP (Public Security Police). However, civil society groups denounced the action as “populist propaganda,” and 21 figures signed an open letter to the Governo da Aliança Democrática criticizing the operation.
Young Portuguese Emigration In Line with Other Countries
Despite what some headlines may have you believe, the number of young people emigrating from Portugal is about the same as in other countries, Público reports. Due to difficulties in measurement, there is debate over the exact figures, but the number leaving is far from “problematic,” the article argues.
City Sanitation Workers to Strike
Lisbon may see an excess of waste in the days leading up to Christmas as the workers responsible for trash collection go on strike, Observador reports. The Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, has warned that the results will be “chaotic,” but union members argue that their strike warnings have been ignored for months.
Two New Deals Strengthen CTT
Correios de Portugal (CTT), the Portuguese postal service, purchased the Spanish company Cacesa and struck a new alliance with DHL to strengthen their services for the Iberian Peninsula, Observador reports. This, according to the companies, will make CTT Expresso the largest and most profitable in the group, the paper writes.
