Welcome to the Week em Breve, a wrap-up of important Portuguese news to keep you up to date and in the know.
AIMA lacks human resources and “consistent immigration policy,” says union
The Agency of Migration, Integration, and Asylum’s (Agência para a Integração Migrações e Asilo, AIMA) ongoing push to clear their backlog of residency cases faced further criticism last Monday, this time from the Union of Migration Technicians (Sindicato dos Técnicos de Migração, STM). STM raised concerns over the “non-existence of a consistent immigration policy” within AIMA, as well as the high rate at which employees hired to tackle the backlog have been placing transfer requests, creating what the union described as “a structure without objective, orientation or future.”
Lisbon proposes underwater tunnel to ease bridge congestion
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro is expected to include plans for an underwater tunnel connecting Lisbon and Almada in an upcoming infrastructure package. Running from Alges under the River Tejo to Trafaria, the tunnel project has been supported by various local mayors on both sides of the river since it was first proposed in the 1990s as a way to alleviate congestion on the April 25 Bridge. Critics of the tunnel, as reported by Lisboa Para Pessoas, consider the tunnel plan to be needlessly unsustainable and argue that the focus should be on strengthening already-existing public transportation infrastructure.
Crypto bro extradited from Portugal to face fraud charges in U.S.
Aleksei Andriunin, the 26-year-old founder of cryptofinance platform Gotbit, was extradited from Portugal to the United States on Tuesday. Andriunin was charged last October with counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud, following an Federal Bureau of investigation probe into Gotbit and two other crypto firms suspected of fraudulent trading practices. Appearing in court on Wednesday, Andriunin pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Dozens of new hotels set to open in Lisbon in coming years
At least 54 new hotels are slated to open their doors in Lisbon in coming years, amounting to a 16% increase of hotel units in the city, according to a new report from Publico. There has already been a reported 44% increase of hotel units in the last decade, with the total number of hotels rising from 187 in February 2015 to 334 in February 2025.
