Welcome to the Week em Breve! This week in Portugal: Cybersecurity, Facebook Could Owe You Money, Extra Holidays, Winning the Weed Vote, and much more.
The Hackers Are Out in Force
You’re reading this online, right? Well, quick! Run out and reset your router, because the FBI just told the National Cyber Security Center here in Portugal that malicious software could leave people open to attack. They recommended that all WIFI routers be “factory reset,” to remove the dangerous code. You have been warned, people!
DECO to the Rescue
Cybersecurity seems like a hot topic, and the Portuguese Consumer Protection Association (DECO) has got your back. They announced this week that they will be filing a lawsuit against Facebook. DECO is seeking compensation for the “massive and undue use of [users] data,” the association said. This compensation could be as high as 200€ for someone who has been on the platform since 2010, so it’s worth keeping an eye on!
Money Brings Power
Eurostat figures have revealed that Portugal has the highest gas prices in the EU and the second-highest electricity prices. This is in part due to the tax, which accounts for 27% of the cost of gas and a whopping 52% of the cost electricity. The high costs are, unfortunately, nothing new — Portugal has been taking the top spot since 2016.
Employees of Alemanha
Following the opening of the new Bosch plant in Braga, one report claims that German companies employ more people in Portugal than anyone else, excluding the state. Official figures put this number at 35,000 direct jobs in Portugal. But the director of the Portuguese-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vivo Hans-Joachim Böhmer, says it’s more than 50,000, due to indirect jobs.
PANHandling for Holidays
Employees may soon be entitled to more holidays if the latest Pessoas-Animais-Natureza proposal goes through. The party wants to reinstate 25 days of holiday entitlement for all workers, including those in the private sector. This would allow workers the week off that was removed by the previous government. These extra days are important for “increasing productivity, reducing absenteeism, increasing social and cultural participation, and strengthening family ties,” according to PAN.
Think of the Children!
Citing academic sources, the Left Bloc presented a proposal to restrict the broadcasting of bullfights on television. This is for the “protection of children,” with evidence showing that “television broadcasting of bullfights seems to cause… a negative emotional impact on children, because it has serious consequences on… aggressiveness and anxiety,” according to Left Bloc. Social changes may be afoot.
Euthanasia Fails in Parliament
The contentious issue of medically assisted death was debated this week but failed to pass legislation. Both sides put up strong campaigns, and members of parliament say the issue is certainly not put to rest. The debate cuts across not only along political lines, but religious ones as well, and will likely return soon in the continuous push for social reform.
Weed Wins in Parliament
Speaking of social reform, the parliamentary committee for health has approved the use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes. This included some new additions by the PCP, such as the need for Infarmed to approve “which cannabis-based solutions are able to be used,” as well as the Laboratório Militar being involved in production. Furthermore, cannabis will only be used when conventional treatments have failed. This now goes to a full vote, which is expected next week.
